Compare towns
Ossipee vs Tuftonboro vs Meredith
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 affordable homes ($326k median).
Tuftonboro has the most homeowners (92.6%).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Tuftonboro | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,521 |
2,569Lowest |
6,758Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.4% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 50±4.6Lowest 15% above NH |
51.9±7.5 20% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Meredith and Tuftonboro 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% |
18.2%±4.7 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Ossipee and Tuftonboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.3%±5.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
27.8%±6.9 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Tuftonboro 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% |
37.6% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
0.8%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,521±$22k 9% below NH |
$100,574±$16kHighest about the NH average |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
| Tuftonboro 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 |
$462,300±$46k 15% above NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
| Meredith and Tuftonboro 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 |
$1,311±$358 12% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Ossipee and Tuftonboro 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 |
$3,004Lowest 55% below NH |
$5,006Highest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72%±16.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
6.5%±28.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Ossipee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% NH: 72.8% |
92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest same as NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above NH |
30 min 12% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 5.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.3%±8.9 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Tuftonboro 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.