Compare towns
Meredith vs Bow vs Center Harbor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Meredith has the most renters (24.2% rent).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Center Harbor has the oldest population (median age 60.4).
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 | Bow | Center Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758 |
8,335Highest |
955Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
60.4±4.8Highest 39% above NH |
| Center Harbor and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
11.9%±5.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±5 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
39.5%±13.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Center Harbor and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
47.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
0.9%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$104,313±$16k 5% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$463,800±$74kLowest 15% above NH |
| Bow and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
— |
| Bow and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006 25% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$4,667Lowest 30% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
14.3%±59.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
91%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the NH average |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
25 minLowest 8% below NH |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
8.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Bow School District | — |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Bow High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| 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.