Compare towns
Meredith vs Hampden 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 the most people working from home (23.7%).
Hampden has the most kids (25.8% under 18).
Kingston has the most expensive homes ($493k 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 | Hampden | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758 |
7,896Highest |
6,275Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
41±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
55.5±5.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest 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% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hampden and Kingston 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 8% above U.S. |
$111,959±$13kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$105,330±$12k 30% above U.S. |
| Hampden and Kingston 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. |
$301,300±$38kLowest 9% 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±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,286±$317 9% below U.S. |
$1,393±$156Highest about the U.S. average |
| Kingston and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006 61% above U.S. |
$3,694Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$7,906Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Hampden 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 | #6 of 133 in ME | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | RSU 22 | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Hampden Academy | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
14.8Highest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.