Compare towns
Meredith vs Barre vs Kingston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
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 | Meredith | Barre | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758 |
8,412Highest |
6,275Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
55.5±5.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.7%±6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kingston and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$105,330±$12kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Kingston and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$492,900±$58kHighest 48% above U.S. |
| Kingston and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,393±$156Highest about the U.S. average |
| Kingston and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
$5,192 66% above U.S. |
$7,906Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±46.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Kingston 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | #19 of 70 in VT | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Spaulding Union High School | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
10.7Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.