Compare towns
Barnstead vs Holderness vs Madbury
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 homeowners (93.6%).
Holderness has the oldest housing (typical home built 1981).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
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 | Holderness | Madbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,994Highest |
1,917Lowest |
2,203 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1Highest about the NH average |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
| Barnstead and Holderness 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% |
14.7%±9.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury 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% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Barnstead and Madbury 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 |
$107,863±$45kLowest 9% above NH |
$148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
| Madbury 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 10% below NH |
$363,100±$60k 10% below NH |
$476,900±$31kHighest 18% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$75Lowest 6% below NH |
$2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
| Holderness and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,003 10% below NH |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2 NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Barnstead and Holderness 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% |
12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
83.7% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Madbury 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 | — | — |
| School district | Barnstead School District | Holderness School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.