Compare towns
Laconia vs Plainfield vs Meredith
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 most affordable homes ($340k median).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($123k).
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 | Plainfield | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,085Highest |
2,522Lowest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±3.9 5% above NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield 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 NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.1 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Plainfield 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 26% below NH |
$122,656±$13kHighest 24% above NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,300±$16kLowest 15% below NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
| Meredith and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,224±$107 18% below NH |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,484Lowest 33% below NH |
$7,904Highest 19% above NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.5%±10.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| 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 NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
22 min 18% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 13.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Plainfield 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Laconia School District | Plainfield School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Laconia High School | 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 |
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.