Compare towns
New Gloucester vs Meredith vs Pownal
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Gloucester has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Pownal has the most homeowners (89.4%).
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 | New Gloucester | Meredith | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,766 |
6,758Highest |
1,696Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±5.5Lowest 3% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
47.2±8.4 21% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pownal and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,797±$12kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$104,333±$14k 29% above U.S. |
| New Gloucester and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,100±$29kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$436,800±$32k 31% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$249Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$981±$636Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| New Gloucester and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,417Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$5,212Highest 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.7%±12Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.9%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pownal and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.9%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pownal 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 | #65 of 133 in ME | #62 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.