Compare towns
Peterborough vs Dummerston 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).
Dummerston has the most kids (21.7% under 18).
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 | Dummerston | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,408 |
2,090Lowest |
6,758Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±1.9 34% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Lowest 17% 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% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston 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% |
24.3%±3Lowest 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% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Meredith and Peterborough 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. |
$101,696±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Dummerston 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±$31k 22% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$209Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Peterborough and Dummerston 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. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Dummerston 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% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 15.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Meredith 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Conval Regional High School | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| 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.