Compare towns
Barnstead vs Hillsborough vs Lee vs Fremont
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hillsborough has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Fremont has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
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 | Hillsborough | Lee | Fremont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,994 |
5,980Highest |
4,576Lowest |
4,831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% NH: +4.6% |
-1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1 about the NH average |
40.9±4.6Lowest 6% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
44.3±3.4Highest about the NH average |
| Fremont and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.4%±5.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Lee and Barnstead 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% |
16.4%±3.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Fremont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9% NH: 40.6% |
23.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
| Barnstead and Lee 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 13% above NH |
$84,495±$12kLowest 15% below NH |
$131,579±$54kHighest 33% above NH |
$120,781±$18k 22% above NH |
| Lee and Fremont 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 |
$272,300±$16kLowest 32% below NH |
$480,600±$61kHighest 19% above NH |
$416,900±$31k 4% above NH |
| Lee and Fremont 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 |
$1,198±$390Lowest 20% below NH |
— | $2,668±$795Highest 79% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,003 10% below NH |
$5,815Lowest 13% below NH |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$6,954 4% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
94.2%±5.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 3.4% NH: 7.2% |
6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6% NH: 72.8% |
92.3% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
90.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above NH |
41 minHighest 54% above NH |
28 minLowest about the NH average |
33 min 24% above NH |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
14%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
8.9%±4.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Hillsborough 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 | #97 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH | #91 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barnstead School District | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Fremont School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hillsboro-Deering High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.