Compare towns
Tuftonboro vs Ossipee 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
Tuftonboro has the most homeowners (92.6%).
Ossipee has the most affordable homes ($326k 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 | Tuftonboro | Ossipee | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,569Lowest |
4,521 |
6,758Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±7.5 20% above NH |
50±4.6Lowest 15% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Meredith and Tuftonboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4.7 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Ossipee and Tuftonboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.9 NH: 20.1% |
26.3%±5.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Tuftonboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.6% NH: 40.6% |
24.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,574±$16kHighest about the NH average |
$90,521±$22k 9% below NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
| Tuftonboro and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $462,300±$46k 15% above NH |
$325,500±$23kLowest 19% below NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
| Meredith and Tuftonboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,311±$358 12% below NH |
$1,601±$245Highest 7% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Ossipee and Tuftonboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,004Lowest 55% below NH |
$4,401 34% below NH |
$5,006Highest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.5%±28.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
72%±16.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Ossipee and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82% NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.3%±8.9 NH: 16.8% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Tuftonboro 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 | — | #100 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Governor Wentworth 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.