Compare towns
Barnstead vs Goffstown vs Sutton
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 kids (21% under 18).
Goffstown has the most renters (17.3% rent).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
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 | Goffstown | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,994 |
18,513Highest |
2,239Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% NH: +4.6% |
+5.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1 about the NH average |
41.3±3.1Lowest 5% below NH |
48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
| Sutton and Barnstead 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% |
16%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Barnstead and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±4.8 NH: 20.1% |
19%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Sutton 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
42.8% NH: 40.6% |
44.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9 NH: 6% |
14.5%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,660±$12kLowest 13% above NH |
$113,958±$12k 15% above NH |
$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
| Sutton and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH |
$377,400±$20kHighest 6% below NH |
$362,600±$16k 10% below NH |
| Goffstown and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$75 6% below NH |
$1,231±$161Lowest 17% below NH |
$1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
| Sutton and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,003Lowest 10% below NH |
$6,941 4% above NH |
$7,652Highest 15% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
58.1%±20Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Goffstown 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% |
6.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6% NH: 72.8% |
82.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above NH |
28 minLowest 4% above NH |
29 min 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
13.8%±2.2 NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Sutton and Goffstown 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 | #35 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Barnstead School District | Goffstown School District | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Goffstown High School | Kearsarge Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.