Compare towns
Laconia vs Mapleton vs Sidney 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).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Mapleton | Sidney | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,085Highest |
1,884Lowest |
4,790 |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3.9 16% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43±5.5 11% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney and Mapleton 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% |
18.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5% 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%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 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. |
$83,488±$10k 3% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
| Mapleton 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$336,200±$34k about the U.S. average |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,224±$107 13% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,340±$304Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
| Sidney 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. |
$2,474 21% below U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.5%±10.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest 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% |
8.9% 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% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.5%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #105 of 120 in NH | — | #15 of 133 in ME | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Laconia School District | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Laconia High School | None in town | None in town | 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 | 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.