Compare towns
Meredith vs Eliot 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%).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Laconia has the most affordable homes ($340k median).
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 | Eliot | Laconia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758Lowest |
7,146 |
17,085Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
45.3±3.9Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Laconia and Eliot 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% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.8%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Eliot 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% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Laconia 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±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$73,218±$12kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Eliot 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. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$340,300±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Eliot 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 19% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,224±$107 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$4,484Lowest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.5%±10.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Laconia 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% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Eliot 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 133 in ME | #105 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Laconia School District |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town | Laconia High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
— | 10.0Lowest |
| 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.