Compare towns
Lee vs Meredith vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.6%).
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 | Lee | Meredith | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,719 |
6,758Highest |
5,656Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.2±5.8 42% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
51±6.9Lowest 31% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salisbury and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,750±$13kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$92,469±$7kHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $352,700±$19kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$465,900±$31k 40% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$212 about the U.S. average |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,770±$444Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,980Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$4,561 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.3%±21.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.8%±11.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salisbury and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 31% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.7%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Salisbury 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 | #209 of 282 in MA | #62 of 120 in NH | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lee | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | Lee Middle/High School | Inter-Lakes High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.2Lowest |
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.