Compare towns
Carroll vs Strafford vs Whitefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carroll has the oldest population (median age 62.4).
Strafford has the most people working from home (16.1%).
Whitefield has the most renters (37.4% rent).
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 | Carroll | Strafford | Whitefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 659Lowest |
1,372 |
2,516Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 62.4±4.8Highest 60% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Lowest 32% above U.S. |
51.4±4.6Lowest 32% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 7%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.6%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whitefield and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,821±$26k 20% below U.S. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$63,125±$12kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $261,500±$42k 21% below U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$240,400±$22kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,078±$241 24% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Highest 20% below U.S. |
$1,077±$160Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Strafford and Carroll are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,356Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$4,394 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28%±47.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.9%±15.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whitefield and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 4.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Strafford and Whitefield 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 | — | — | #86 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Strafford School District | White Mountains Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | White Mountains Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.9 |
| 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.