Compare towns
Peterborough vs Dedham 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).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($662k median).
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 | Peterborough | Dedham | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,408Lowest |
25,237Highest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±1.9 34% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6Lowest 15% 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% |
18.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham 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% |
21.9%±2Lowest 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% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,401±$8k 22% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,500±$31kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$209 about the U.S. average |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,655Highest 177% above U.S. |
$7,918 154% above U.S. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 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 11% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 15.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Dedham 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Dedham | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Conval Regional High School | Dedham High | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
10.4Lowest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.