Compare towns
Mapleton vs Epping 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
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Mapleton | Epping | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
7,430Highest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Epping and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
| Epping and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping and Meredith 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 | — | #77 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Epping School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.