Compare towns
Alstead vs Townsend vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alstead has the most people working from home (12.1%).
Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
Gorham has the most affordable homes ($162k 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 | Alstead | Townsend | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,551Lowest |
9,100Highest |
2,682 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±3.3Highest 44% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
53.9±3.6 39% above U.S. |
| Alstead and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.5%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gorham and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gorham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,526±$11k 20% below U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$61,275±$7kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,600±$37k 18% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$161,600±$49kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$838±$83Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322 71% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,334Lowest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±20.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alstead and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
1.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Alstead and Townsend 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 | — | #136 of 282 in MA | #57 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | North Middlesex | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| 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.