Compare towns
Windham vs Meredith vs Alton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most kids (27.4% under 18).
Meredith has the most renters (24.2% rent).
Alton has the most affordable homes ($430k median).
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 | Windham | Meredith | Alton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,038Highest |
6,758 |
5,994Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
53.7±3.2 24% above NH |
| Meredith and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
13.4%±4 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
25.1%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
0.8%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Windham and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$113,715±$19k 15% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$430,400±$37kLowest 7% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$4,183Lowest 37% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
31.7%±27.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Windham and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 15% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
33 minHighest 24% above NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.1%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #72 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Prospect Mountain JMA School District · Alton School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Inter-Lakes High School | Prospect Mountain High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.1Lowest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.