Compare towns
Bristol vs Sutton vs Walpole vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most kids (24.3% under 18).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($216k 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 | Bristol | Sutton | Walpole | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,273 |
2,239Lowest |
3,690Highest |
3,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-2.7% NH: +4.6% |
-8.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.7±5.7Lowest about the NH average |
48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
46.5±10.4 7% above NH |
45.5±6.9 5% above NH |
| Sutton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.3%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.2%±5.2 NH: 18.2% |
20.9%±6.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Bristol and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.5%±5.4 NH: 20.1% |
28.4%±5.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Lancaster and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5% NH: 40.6% |
44.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.9% NH: 40.6% |
30.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2 NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6Highest NH: 6% |
4%±2.8 NH: 6% |
2.9%±2.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Sutton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,438±$10k 21% below NH |
$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
$82,617±$16k 17% below NH |
$68,911±$23kLowest 30% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$63k 36% below NH |
$362,600±$16kHighest 10% below NH |
$319,800±$48k 21% below NH |
$215,700±$24kLowest 46% below NH |
| Sutton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,310±$97 12% below NH |
$1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
$1,165±$150 22% below NH |
$1,019±$263Lowest 32% below NH |
| Sutton and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,162Lowest 38% below NH |
$7,652Highest 15% above NH |
$6,078 9% below NH |
$4,226 37% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±14.2 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±21.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
36.1%±17 NH: 48.2% |
| Walpole and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% NH: 7.2% |
4.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.7% NH: 7.2% |
16.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.9% NH: 72.8% |
75.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
1971 8 yrs older than NH |
1967 12 yrs older than NH |
1942Lowest 37 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above NH |
29 minHighest 10% above NH |
23 min 13% below NH |
23 minLowest 14% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.8%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
11.5%±6.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Sutton and Bristol 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 | #79 of 120 in NH | — | #27 of 120 in NH | #107 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newfound Area School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Fall Mountain Regional School District | White Mountains Regional School District |
| High school in town | Newfound Regional High School | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
10.4Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.