Compare towns
Lebanon vs Meredith vs Kingston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Kingston has the highest household income ($105k).
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 | Lebanon | Meredith | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,999Highest |
6,758 |
6,275Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±3.1Lowest 10% below NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
55.5±5.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±2.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
13.5%±3.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Lebanon and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.7%±6 NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
35.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.1 NH: 6% |
| Lebanon and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,147±$10k about the NH average |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$105,330±$12kHighest 6% above NH |
| Kingston and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $385,400±$29kLowest 4% below NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$492,900±$58kHighest 22% above NH |
| Kingston and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,744±$132Highest 17% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,393±$156 7% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,149Highest 22% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$7,906 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±7.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.9%±46.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7% NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
74.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 48% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.3 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Lebanon 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 | #29 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Lebanon School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Lebanon High School | Inter-Lakes High School | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7 |
11.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.