Compare towns
Chester vs Gilford vs Henniker vs Weare
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the most expensive homes ($552k median).
Gilford has the oldest population (median age 48.2).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Weare has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Henniker is a college town. 27% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Chester | Gilford | Henniker | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,300Lowest |
7,830 |
6,197 |
9,170Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7% NH: +4.6% |
+8% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.8 9% above NH |
48.2±3.9Highest 11% above NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
45.6±4 5% above NH |
| Gilford and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Weare and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4 NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±3.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Gilford and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.1 NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
$116,635±$11k 18% above NH |
$95,206±$21kLowest 4% below NH |
$118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
| Chester and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
$456,500±$56k 13% above NH |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
$396,300±$26k about the NH average |
| Chester and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,150±$747 23% below NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,541±$214Highest 3% above NH |
| Weare and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,464 27% above NH |
$4,868Lowest 27% below NH |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
$6,272 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±8.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 4% NH: 7.2% |
6.2% NH: 7.2% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.1% NH: 72.8% |
64.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 31% above NH |
22 min 18% below NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
16.9%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Weare and Gilford 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 | #90 of 120 in NH | #45 of 120 in NH | #56 of 120 in NH | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Chester School District | Gilford School District | Henniker School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Gilford High School | None in town | John Stark Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| 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.