Compare towns
Barnstead vs Fall River 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).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Northwood has the most people working from home (18.7%).
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 | Fall River | Northwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,994 |
94,082Highest |
4,688Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1Highest 10% above U.S. |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.4±7.8 9% above U.S. |
| Barnstead and Northwood 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% |
19.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
18%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Barnstead and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±4.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Northwood and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barnstead and Fall River 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. |
$56,673±$3kLowest 30% below 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. |
$395,500±$11kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$363,000±$13k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$75Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,201±$372 15% below U.S. |
| Barnstead and Northwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,003Highest 92% above U.S. |
$3,953Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,806 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.7%±29.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fall River 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% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.7%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Northwood and Barnstead 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #24 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barnstead School District | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Northwood School District · Coe-Brown Northwood Academy School District |
| High school in town | None in town | B M C Durfee High | Coe-Brown Northwood Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3Lowest |
11.5Highest |
| 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.