Compare towns
Laconia vs Meredith vs Ossipee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Laconia has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Ossipee has the most homeowners (82%).
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 | Meredith | Ossipee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,085Highest |
6,758 |
4,521Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±3.9Lowest 5% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
50±4.6 15% above NH |
| Meredith and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Ossipee and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.8%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
26.3%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.2% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
24.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.1Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Laconia and Meredith 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 26% below NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
$90,521±$22kHighest 9% below NH |
| Ossipee 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 15% below NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$325,500±$23kLowest 19% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,224±$107 18% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,601±$245Highest 7% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,484 33% below NH |
$5,006Highest 25% below NH |
$4,401Lowest 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.5%±10.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
72%±16.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Ossipee and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
82%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.5%±3.8 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #105 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #100 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Laconia School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | Laconia High School | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
11.1Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.