Compare towns
Meredith vs Wakefield 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).
Wakefield has the most kids (20% under 18).
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 | Wakefield | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758 |
27,793Highest |
6,275Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
55.5±5.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest 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% |
59.7%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% |
4.4%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wakefield 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. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$105,330±$12k 30% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,100±$48kLowest 44% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$492,900±$58k 48% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,393±$156 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
$7,906Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest 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% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 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 |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Meredith 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
10.7Lowest |
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.