Compare towns
Barnstead vs Brookline vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnstead has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
Brookline has the most people working from home (24.7%).
Townsend has the most renters (18% rent).
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 | Barnstead | Brookline | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,994Lowest |
5,736 |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1Highest 10% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Barnstead and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barnstead and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,660±$12kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,400±$25kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$75Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,003Lowest 92% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 18% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #111 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Barnstead School District | Brookline School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.