Compare towns
Laconia vs Meredith vs Williston
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 affordable homes ($340k median).
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,085Highest |
6,758Lowest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3.9Lowest 16% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston 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% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston 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. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Williston 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±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,224±$107 13% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,484Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above 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% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Laconia School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| 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 |
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.