Compare towns
Laconia vs Mapleton vs Meredith vs Unity
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).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Unity has the most homeowners (94.5%).
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 | Mapleton | Meredith | Unity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,085Highest |
1,884 |
6,758 |
1,375Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3.9 16% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
58±4.5Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Unity and Meredith 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.8%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.9%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Unity and Meredith 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% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mapleton 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. |
$91,731±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$87,500±$16k 8% above U.S. |
| Mapleton and Unity 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$276,100±$29k 17% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,224±$107 13% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$1,625±$804Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Unity and Laconia 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. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$5,394Highest 73% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.5%±10.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 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% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.5%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4Lowest 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Unity School District |
| High school in town | Laconia High School | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.