Compare towns
Meredith vs Windham vs Gilford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Meredith has the most renters (24.2% rent).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Gilford has the shortest commute (22 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 | Windham | Gilford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758Lowest |
16,038Highest |
7,830 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
48.2±3.9 11% above NH |
| Meredith and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9% NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Windham 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 12% below NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$116,635±$11k 18% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$456,500±$56kLowest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,150±$747 23% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006 25% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$4,868Lowest 27% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±8.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Gilford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the NH average |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
16.9%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #45 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Windham School District | Gilford School District |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Windham High School | Gilford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.