Compare towns
Waltham vs Meredith vs Panton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waltham has the highest household income ($98k).
Meredith has the most affordable homes ($231k median).
Panton has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
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 | Waltham | Meredith | Panton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 452Lowest |
1,467Highest |
690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S. |
54.3±4.6 40% above U.S. |
42.7±3.8Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Waltham and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
24.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Panton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Waltham and Panton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,500±$14kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$85,938±$16kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$86,667±$10k 7% above U.S. |
| Waltham and Panton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $329,700±$51k about the U.S. average |
$230,600±$24kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$438,000±$40kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$113 22% below U.S. |
$794±$175Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,410±$130Highest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,714 83% above U.S. |
$3,630Lowest 16% above U.S. |
$6,695Highest 115% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±58.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±53.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
61%±39Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Panton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Panton and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.