Compare towns
Peterborough vs Upton vs Temple 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).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Temple has the most affordable homes ($401k 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 | Upton | Temple | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,408 |
8,189Highest |
1,363Lowest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±1.9 34% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S. |
49.5±7.3 27% 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±2.8Lowest 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% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Meredith and Upton 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$94,107±$15k 17% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,500±$31k 22% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$401,000±$27kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$209Highest about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,169±$523 17% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
| Peterborough and Temple 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. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$6,983 124% above U.S. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.2%±54.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 15.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | — | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Contoocook Valley School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Conval Regional High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
11.2 |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.