Compare towns
Barnstead vs Henniker vs Kingston
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).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Kingston has the most expensive homes ($493k median).
Henniker is a college town. 27% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Henniker | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,994Lowest |
6,197 |
6,275Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1 about the NH average |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
55.5±5.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Barnstead and Henniker 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% |
16.5%±6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.7%±6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Kingston 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% |
41.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
35.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,660±$12kHighest 13% above NH |
$95,206±$21kLowest 4% below NH |
$105,330±$12k 6% above NH |
| Barnstead and Kingston 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 |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
$492,900±$58kHighest 22% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$75Highest 6% below NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,393±$156 7% below NH |
| Barnstead and Kingston 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 |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
$7,906 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
46.9%±46.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Barnstead and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% NH: 7.2% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
74.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
15.7%±4.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Kingston and Henniker 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 | #56 of 120 in NH | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barnstead School District | Henniker School District | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.9 |
| 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.