Compare towns
Chester vs New Ipswich vs Plymouth 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
New Ipswich has the most kids (29.9% under 18).
Plymouth has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Weare has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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 | New Ipswich | Plymouth | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,300Lowest |
5,310 |
6,601 |
9,170Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.1% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
36.9±2.4 15% below NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
45.6±4 5% above NH |
| Chester and Weare 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% |
29.9%±5.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4 NH: 18.2% |
| New Ipswich and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4Highest NH: 20.1% |
12.3%±3 NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3 NH: 20.1% |
| Chester and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1% NH: 40.6% |
32.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
54%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.1 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
$110,507±$9k 12% above NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% 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 |
$392,400±$31k about the NH average |
$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$396,300±$26k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $882±$469Lowest 41% below NH |
$1,108±$255 26% below NH |
$1,541±$214Highest 3% above NH |
| Weare and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,464Highest 27% above NH |
$5,647Lowest 15% below NH |
$6,288 6% below NH |
$6,272 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±41.5 NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6 NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Weare and New Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.7% NH: 72.8% |
56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 31% above NH |
33 min 22% above NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Weare and Chester 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 | #82 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Chester School District | Mascenic Regional School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Mascenic Regional High School | Plymouth Regional High School | John Stark Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7 |
12.8Highest |
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.