Compare towns
Barnstead vs Northwood vs Chester
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 shortest commute (31 min average).
Northwood has the most people working from home (18.7%).
Chester has the most expensive homes ($552k median).
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 | Northwood | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,994 |
4,688Lowest |
5,300Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+9.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1 about the NH average |
42.4±7.8Lowest about the NH average |
47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
| Chester 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% |
18%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.6%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Barnstead and Chester 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% |
21.5%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Northwood 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% |
38.9% NH: 40.6% |
41.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1 NH: 6% |
| Barnstead and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,660±$12kLowest 13% above NH |
$129,375±$23k 31% above NH |
$142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
| Chester and Northwood 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 |
$363,000±$13k 10% below NH |
$552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$75Highest 6% below NH |
$1,201±$372Lowest 19% below NH |
— |
| Barnstead and Northwood 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 |
$5,806Lowest 13% below NH |
$8,464Highest 27% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.7%±29.2 NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Barnstead and Northwood 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% |
7.5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6% NH: 72.8% |
89%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 16% above NH |
37 minHighest 37% above NH |
35 min 31% above NH |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.7%±6.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
| Northwood and Chester 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 | #24 of 120 in NH | #90 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barnstead School District | Northwood School District · Coe-Brown Northwood Academy School District | Chester School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Coe-Brown Northwood Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— |
| 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.