What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boscawen has the most renters (24.7% rent).

Stoddard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Boscawen	Stoddard
People
Population	4,044Highest	1,072Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.8%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+11.5%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	46±4.2Lowest 6% above NH	53±4Highest 22% above NH
	Stoddard and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.1%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2%	17.5%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Boscawen and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.2%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1%	24.4%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Boscawen and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.5%Lowest NH: 40.6%	34.1%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6%	3.5%±1.7Highest NH: 6%
	Stoddard and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,328±$27kLowest 22% below NH	$94,904±$11kHighest 4% below NH
	Stoddard and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$286,500±$23kLowest 29% below NH	$330,300±$20kHighest 18% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,265±$307Highest 15% below NH	$895±$751Lowest 40% below NH
	Boscawen and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,549Highest about the NH average	$4,316Lowest 35% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.2%±21Lowest NH: 48.2%	52.6%±100Highest NH: 48.2%
	Stoddard and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	17%Highest NH: 7.2%	4.8%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.3%Lowest NH: 72.8%	93.3%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978 1 yr older than NH	1978 1 yr older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 4% above NH	34 minHighest 25% above NH
Work from home	9.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8%	9.5%±4Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Boscawen and Stoddard 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	#51 of 120 in NH	—
School district	Merrimack Valley School District	Stoddard School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.