What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barnstead has the highest household income ($112k).

Gray has the most renters (17.6% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Barnstead	Gray
People
Population	4,994Lowest	8,429Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.8±3.1Lowest 10% above U.S.	43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S.
	Gray 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%	19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Barnstead and Gray 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%	19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Barnstead and Gray 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%	44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Barnstead and Gray 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 38% above U.S.	$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S.
	Barnstead and Gray 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.	$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S.
	Gray and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,395±$75Highest about the U.S. average	$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average
	Barnstead and Gray 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.	$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.6%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Gray 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%	3.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 18% above U.S.	29 minLowest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	13%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Barnstead and Gray 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	#10 of 133 in ME
School district	Barnstead School District	RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences
High school in town	None in town	Gray-New Gloucester High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.5
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.