Compare towns
Ascutney vs Berlin vs Sandgate vs Waltham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ascutney has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Berlin has the most affordable homes ($131k median).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Waltham has the most expensive homes ($330k 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 | Ascutney | Berlin | Sandgate | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 381Lowest |
9,383Highest |
435 |
452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 64.4±7.3Highest 66% above U.S. |
44.6±2.8Lowest 15% above U.S. |
55.7±5.4 43% above U.S. |
60.8±7.3 56% above U.S. |
| Ascutney and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±7.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Berlin and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 44.9%±15 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±11.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waltham and Ascutney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
14.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
39%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Waltham and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,269±$46k 34% below U.S. |
$45,180±$5kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$69,167±$19k 14% below U.S. |
$97,500±$14kHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Waltham and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,800±$91k 34% below U.S. |
$131,000±$15kLowest 61% below U.S. |
$193,800±$31k 42% below U.S. |
$329,700±$51kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Waltham and Ascutney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $815±$141Lowest 42% below U.S. |
— | $1,096±$113Highest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,429 10% above U.S. |
$3,437 10% above U.S. |
$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$5,714Highest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 43.7%±12Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±58.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Berlin and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 100%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 40% below U.S. |
19 min 29% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.5%±24.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
3.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate and Waltham 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 | — | #108 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | — | Berlin School District | — | — |
| High school in town | — | Berlin Senior High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.