Compare towns
Ossipee vs Kingston vs Meredith vs Freedom
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ossipee has the most kids (19.5% under 18).
Kingston has the highest household income ($105k).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Freedom has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
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 | Ossipee | Kingston | Meredith | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,521 |
6,275 |
6,758Highest |
1,494Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+13.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 50±4.6Lowest 15% above NH |
55.5±5.7 28% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
60.6±3.2Highest 40% above NH |
| Freedom and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.5%±3.9 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
12.9%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Ossipee and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.3%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
24.7%±6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5 NH: 20.1% |
40.3%±4.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Freedom and Meredith 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 NH: 40.6% |
35.1% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Kingston 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 9% below NH |
$105,330±$12kHighest 6% above NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
$66,136±$14kLowest 33% below NH |
| Kingston 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±$23kLowest 19% below NH |
$492,900±$58kHighest 22% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$389,000±$43k 3% below NH |
| Kingston and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,601±$245Highest 7% above NH |
$1,393±$156 7% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
— |
| Ossipee and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,401 34% below NH |
$7,906Highest 19% above NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$3,478Lowest 48% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72%±16.3 NH: 48.2% |
46.9%±46.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
79.6%±75Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Freedom and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% NH: 7.2% |
2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% NH: 72.8% |
74.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
91%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above NH |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 5.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.7%±4.3 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.5%±7.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Freedom 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 | #78 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Sanborn Regional School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Freedom School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Sanborn Regional High School | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Highest |
11.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.