Compare towns
Laconia vs Chapman vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Laconia has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Laconia | Chapman | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,085Highest |
388Lowest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3.9Lowest 16% above U.S. |
45.7±11.4 17% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
27.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.8%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chapman and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,218±$12kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$93,125±$17kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
| Chapman and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,300±$16k about the U.S. average |
$185,700±$22kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,224±$107Highest 13% below U.S. |
— | $1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Laconia and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,484 44% above U.S. |
$1,850Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.5%±10.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Laconia and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
23 min 12% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.5%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #105 of 120 in NH | — | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Laconia School District | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Laconia High School | — | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.