Compare towns
Meredith vs Danvers vs Laconia
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 the most people working from home (23.7%).
Danvers has the highest household income ($125k).
Laconia has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Danvers | Laconia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758Lowest |
28,098Highest |
17,085 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
45.3±3Lowest 16% above U.S. |
45.3±3.9Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Laconia and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.8%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Danvers and Laconia 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. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$73,218±$12kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$340,300±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,224±$107 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006 61% above U.S. |
$6,654Highest 113% above U.S. |
$4,484Lowest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.5%±10.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Laconia and Danvers 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Danvers 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 | #91 of 282 in MA | #105 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Laconia School District |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Laconia High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
12.8Highest |
10.0Lowest |
| 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.