Compare towns
Laconia vs Williston vs Meredith
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).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Williston | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,085Highest |
10,144 |
6,758Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3.9Lowest 16% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest 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% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest 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. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% 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 |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% 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. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,484Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.5%±10.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 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% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Laconia School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | 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 |
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.