Compare towns
Laconia vs Sutton 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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
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 | Sutton | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,085Highest |
2,239Lowest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±3.9Lowest 5% above NH |
48.1±4.1 11% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Meredith and Sutton 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% |
20.5%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Sutton 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% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.3% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.1 NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Sutton 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 |
$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
| Sutton 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 15% below NH |
$362,600±$16k 10% below NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,224±$107 18% below NH |
$1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Sutton and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,484Lowest 33% below NH |
$7,652Highest 15% above NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.5%±10.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest 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% |
4.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
29 minHighest 10% above NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 13.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Sutton 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 | Kearsarge Regional School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Laconia High School | Kearsarge Regional High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
10.4 |
11.1Highest |
| 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.