Compare towns
Meredith vs Stow 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 shortest commute (26 min average).
Stow has the highest household income ($186k).
Kingston has the most renters (25.6% rent).
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 | Stow | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758 |
7,165Highest |
6,275Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4Lowest 13% above U.S. |
55.5±5.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.1%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% |
3.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Stow 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. |
$185,809±$22kHighest 130% above U.S. |
$105,330±$12k 30% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,100±$48kLowest 44% above U.S. |
$729,600±$39kHighest 119% above U.S. |
$492,900±$58k 48% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,782±$126Highest 26% above U.S. |
$1,393±$156 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,906 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±44.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±46.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stow 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
34 min 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #62 of 120 in NH | #44 of 282 in MA | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Nashoba | 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.