Compare towns
Orange vs Meredith vs Washington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the youngest population (median age 50.3).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Washington has the most homeowners (94.4%).
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 | Orange | Meredith | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957Lowest |
6,758Highest |
1,056 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3Lowest 29% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
52.9±5.1 36% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Washington and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Meredith and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,302±$13k 12% below U.S. |
$87,019±$19kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$66,103±$8kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,000±$22k 33% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$217,700±$37kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,330±$153Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$996±$285Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Orange and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,545 14% above U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$3,485Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.5%±63.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Washington 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 | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 |
| 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 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.