Compare towns
Strafford vs Meredith vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Strafford has the most affordable homes ($428k median).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Chester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
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 | Strafford | Meredith | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,306Lowest |
6,758Highest |
5,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+9.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46.3±2.1Lowest 7% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
47.2±3.8 9% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.6%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Chester and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1 NH: 6% |
| Strafford and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,105±$22k 23% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
| Chester and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $427,900±$29kLowest 6% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
| Chester and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,635±$246Highest 10% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
— |
| Strafford and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,086 9% below NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$8,464Highest 27% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Strafford and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
35 min 31% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Chester 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 | #73 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #90 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Strafford School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Chester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| 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.