Compare towns
Peterborough vs Amesbury vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peterborough has the most renters (43.7% rent).
Amesbury has the most kids (20% under 18).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
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 | Peterborough | Amesbury | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,408Lowest |
17,403Highest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±1.9 34% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Amesbury and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,401±$8k 22% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,500±$31kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
| Amesbury and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$209 about the U.S. average |
$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Amesbury and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,655Highest 177% above U.S. |
$7,360 136% above U.S. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 15.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Amesbury 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 | #59 of 120 in NH | #151 of 282 in MA | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Amesbury | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Conval Regional High School | Amesbury High | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
10.9Lowest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.