Compare towns
Laconia vs Meredith vs Sandgate
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 most kids (18.4% under 18).
Meredith has the most expensive homes ($480k median).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,085Highest |
6,758 |
435Lowest |
| 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. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Sandgate and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Laconia and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.8%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±11.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$12k 9% below U.S. |
$87,019±$19kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$69,167±$19kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Laconia 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 |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$193,800±$31kLowest 42% below 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. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.5%±10.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest 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% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate and Meredith 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 | #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 Our Story | 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.