Compare towns
Meredith vs Wayne vs Center Harbor
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%).
Wayne has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Center Harbor has the highest household income ($104k).
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 | Wayne | Center Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758Highest |
1,101 |
955Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7Lowest 43% above U.S. |
55.6±5.3 43% above U.S. |
60.4±4.8Highest 55% above U.S. |
| Center Harbor and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.9%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Wayne and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
39.5%±13.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Center Harbor and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wayne 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±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$93,194±$26k 15% above U.S. |
$104,313±$16kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Center Harbor and Wayne 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. |
$362,800±$29kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$463,800±$74k 39% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$304Highest 19% below U.S. |
$983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
— |
| Meredith and Wayne 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. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$4,667 50% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
14.3%±59.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.9%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayne 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 | — | — |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | RSU 38 | — |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | — |
| 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.