Compare towns
Rye vs Alstead vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Alstead has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Rye | Alstead | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,611 |
1,551Lowest |
6,758Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% NH: +4.6% |
-3.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.1±3Lowest 27% above NH |
56±3.3Highest 29% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
| Alstead and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.3%±3.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Rye and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.7%±5.3 NH: 20.1% |
27.8%±4.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
28.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Alstead and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $140,655±$39kHighest 42% above NH |
$64,526±$11kLowest 35% below NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
| Rye and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,028,100±$89kHighest 155% above NH |
$271,600±$37kLowest 33% below NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,781±$156Highest 19% above NH |
— | $1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,519Highest 13% above NH |
$5,322 20% below NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.3%±16.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
72.1%±22.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Alstead and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
76% NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 7 yrs older than NH |
1973 6 yrs older than NH |
1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above NH |
32 minHighest 19% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 30.9%±7.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.1%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Rye 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 | #2 of 120 in NH | — | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Rye School District | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.