Compare towns
Meredith vs Salisbury 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%).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.6%).
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 | Salisbury | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758Highest |
5,656Lowest |
6,275 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
51±6.9Lowest 31% above U.S. |
55.5±5.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Kingston and Meredith 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%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.7%±6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Salisbury 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% |
50.6%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% |
5.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salisbury 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. |
$92,469±$7k 15% above U.S. |
$105,330±$12kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Kingston and Salisbury 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. |
$465,900±$31kLowest 40% above 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. |
$1,770±$444Highest 25% above U.S. |
$1,393±$156 about the U.S. average |
| Salisbury and Kingston 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. |
$4,561Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$7,906Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.8%±11.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±46.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salisbury and Meredith 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% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 13% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.7%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Salisbury 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 | #240 of 282 in MA | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | — | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
| 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.