Compare towns
Meredith vs Whiting vs Grafton
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 oldest population (median age 54.3).
Whiting has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Grafton has the highest household income ($101k).
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 | Whiting | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,467 |
532Lowest |
1,859Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.3±4.6Highest 40% above U.S. |
39.6±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
52.4±6.9 35% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.8%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Whiting and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.8%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whiting and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,938±$16kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$91,250±$38k 13% above U.S. |
$100,809±$24kHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Grafton and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $230,600±$24k 31% below U.S. |
$280,400±$36kHighest 16% below U.S. |
$216,800±$39kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$175Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,204±$519Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,112±$329 21% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,630 16% above U.S. |
$4,227Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,452Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.1%±53.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±37.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
7.5%±46.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whiting and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 23% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.