Compare towns
Peterborough vs Williston 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).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Williston | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,408Lowest |
10,144Highest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±1.9 34% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 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% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston 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%±3.5Lowest 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% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston 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. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Williston 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. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Williston 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 |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,655Highest 177% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Williston 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% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 15.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | 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 History | 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.