Compare towns
Meredith vs Mount Desert 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%).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Mount Desert | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758Highest |
1,671Lowest |
6,275 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2Lowest 41% above U.S. |
55.5±5.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Mount Desert and Kingston 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% |
29.1%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.7%±6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4%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% |
3.9%±4.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mount Desert 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. |
$92,813±$9k 15% above U.S. |
$105,330±$12kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Kingston and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,100±$48kLowest 44% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$492,900±$58k 48% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Kingston 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. |
$1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
$1,393±$156Highest about the U.S. average |
| Kingston and Mount Desert 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. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$7,906Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest 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% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 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 |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Mount Desert 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 | — | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Mount Desert Public Schools | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
| 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.