Compare towns
Peterborough vs Meredith vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peterborough has the most renters (43.7% rent).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Sharon has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Meredith | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,408 |
6,758Highest |
442Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 52.1±1.9 20% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
49.4±11.2Lowest 14% above NH |
| 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 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±8.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Sharon and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.6%±5.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Sharon 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 NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
1.6%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
| 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 about the NH average |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$113,125±$19kHighest 14% above NH |
| Sharon 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 about the NH average |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$475,900±$38k 18% above NH |
| Meredith and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$209 6% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,458±$1kHighest about the NH average |
| Sharon and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,655Highest 30% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$8,274 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±7.4 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
28.6%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
93.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 16% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
32 minHighest 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.8%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.2%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Peterborough 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 | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | Conval Regional High School | Inter-Lakes High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
11.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.