Compare towns
Meredith vs Plainfield 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%).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (80.9%).
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 | Plainfield | Laconia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758 |
1,314Lowest |
17,085Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
45.3±3.9Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Plainfield 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%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Laconia and Plainfield 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% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.8%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest 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%±1.3Lowest 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±$19kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$73,218±$12k 9% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$340,300±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,224±$107Highest 13% below U.S. |
| Laconia and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$4,484Lowest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.5%±10.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Plainfield 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 | — | #105 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — | Laconia School District |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | — | Laconia High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
— | 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.