Compare towns
Barnstead vs Eliot vs Northwood
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 kids (21% under 18).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Northwood has the highest household income ($129k).
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 | Eliot | Northwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,994 |
7,146Highest |
4,688Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1 10% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
42.4±7.8Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Barnstead and Northwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Northwood 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% |
43.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barnstead and Northwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,660±$12k 38% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$129,375±$23kHighest 60% above U.S. |
| Northwood and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,400±$25kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$363,000±$13k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$75 about the U.S. average |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,201±$372Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,003Highest 92% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$5,806 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.7%±29.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.7%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Northwood and Eliot 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 | #111 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | #24 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barnstead School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Northwood School District · Coe-Brown Northwood Academy School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Coe-Brown Northwood Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
| 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.