Compare towns

Barnstead vs Concord vs Dover

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barnstead has the most homeowners (93.6%).
Concord has the most affordable homes ($351k median).
Dover has the most people working from home (18.6%).

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.

MeasureBarnsteadConcordDover
People
Population
4,994Lowest
44,375Highest
33,364
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+7%
NH: +4.6%
+3%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+9.2%Highest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
42.8±3.1Highest
about the NH average
40.7±1.3
6% below NH
36.9±1.9Lowest
15% below NH
Barnstead and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
21%±5Highest
NH: 18.2%
17.2%±1.3
NH: 18.2%
16.9%±1.8Lowest
NH: 18.2%
Barnstead and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
20.6%±4.8Highest
NH: 20.1%
18.7%±1.5
NH: 20.1%
16.8%±1.8Lowest
NH: 20.1%
Barnstead and Concord 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
NH: 40.6%
42.3%
NH: 40.6%
52%Highest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.9%±2.9Lowest
NH: 6%
6%±0.8
NH: 6%
6.2%±1.2Highest
NH: 6%
Dover and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$111,660±$12kHighest
13% above NH
$84,902±$5kLowest
14% below NH
$94,829±$7k
4% below NH
Barnstead and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$362,400±$25k
10% below NH
$350,900±$13kLowest
13% below NH
$436,700±$20kHighest
8% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,395±$75Lowest
6% below NH
$1,441±$43
3% below NH
$1,607±$100Highest
8% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,003Lowest
10% below NH
$7,227
8% above NH
$8,249Highest
24% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
47.6%±50.9
NH: 48.2%
44.1%±5.2Lowest
NH: 48.2%
48.6%±6.3Highest
NH: 48.2%
Dover and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
3.4%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
8.9%Highest
NH: 7.2%
8.3%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
93.6%Highest
NH: 72.8%
56.8%
NH: 72.8%
52.7%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985Highest
6 yrs newer than NH
1969Lowest
10 yrs older than NH
1976
3 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
31 minHighest
16% above NH
23 min
14% below NH
23 minLowest
15% below NH
Work from home
13%±4.5Lowest
NH: 16.8%
14.1%±1.8
NH: 16.8%
18.6%±2.5Highest
NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #111 of 120 in NH #89 of 120 in NH #64 of 120 in NH
School district Barnstead School District Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District Dover School District
High school in town None in town Concord High School Dover Senior High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
13.0Highest
12.7Lowest
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.