Compare towns

Laconia vs Warner 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).
Warner has the highest household income ($94k).
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.

MeasureLaconiaWarnerMeredith
People
Population
17,085Highest
2,959Lowest
6,758
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.8%
NH: +4.6%
+3.7%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+6.7%Highest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
45.3±3.9
5% above NH
43.7±4Lowest
about the NH average
55.5±3.7Highest
28% above NH
Kids under 18
18.4%±2.9Highest
NH: 18.2%
17.3%±3.3
NH: 18.2%
12.6%±3.3Lowest
NH: 18.2%
Laconia and Warner 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%
20.4%±3.5Lowest
NH: 20.1%
34.2%±5Highest
NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
27.2%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
42.4%
NH: 40.6%
45.9%Highest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.1%±1.1
NH: 6%
5.3%±1.6Highest
NH: 6%
2.9%±1.2Lowest
NH: 6%
Warner 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
$94,022±$18kHighest
5% below NH
$87,019±$19k
12% below NH
Warner 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
$353,100±$22k
12% below NH
$480,100±$48kHighest
19% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,224±$107Highest
18% below NH
$1,219±$123
18% below NH
$1,149±$304Lowest
23% below NH
Laconia and Warner 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
$7,650Highest
15% above NH
$5,006
25% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
54.5%±10.2Highest
NH: 48.2%
48.7%±21.3
NH: 48.2%
48.5%±9.2Lowest
NH: 48.2%
Laconia and Warner 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%
8.4%
NH: 7.2%
7.7%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
64.2%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
74.6%
NH: 72.8%
75.8%Highest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1974Lowest
5 yrs older than NH
1975Highest
4 yrs older than NH
1975Highest
4 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
17 minLowest
36% below NH
32 minHighest
19% above NH
26 min
about the NH average
Work from home
13.5%±3.8Lowest
NH: 16.8%
16.6%±4.8
NH: 16.8%
23.7%±4.9Highest
NH: 16.8%
Meredith and Warner 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 None in town 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

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.