Compare towns
Ossipee vs Chester vs Loudon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ossipee has the most kids (19.5% under 18).
Chester has the most people working from home (14%).
Loudon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
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 | Ossipee | Chester | Loudon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,521 |
2,992Lowest |
5,692Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±4.6Highest 29% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
49.5±3.2Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Ossipee and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.8%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Ossipee and Loudon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.3%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,521±$22k 12% above U.S. |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$106,966±$16kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Loudon and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,500±$23k about the U.S. average |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$363,400±$48kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Loudon and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,601±$245Highest 13% above U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,321±$465 7% below U.S. |
| Ossipee and Loudon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401 41% above U.S. |
$4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$5,821Highest 87% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.5%±30.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ossipee and Loudon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chester and Loudon 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 | #100 of 120 in NH | #49 of 70 in VT | #99 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
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| 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.