Compare towns
Barnstead vs Windham vs Hillsborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnstead has the most kids (21% under 18).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
Hillsborough has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Windham | Hillsborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,994Lowest |
19,188Highest |
5,980 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1Highest 10% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
40.9±4.6Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Barnstead and Windham 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% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Barnstead and Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barnstead and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barnstead and Windham 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. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$84,495±$12kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Barnstead and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,400±$25k 9% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$272,300±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Windham 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 |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,198±$390Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Barnstead and Windham 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. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,815 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±23.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hillsborough 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% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
41 minHighest 55% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #97 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barnstead School District | RSU 14 | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | Hillsboro-Deering High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
9.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.