What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chester has the highest household income ($142k).

Rindge has the youngest population (median age 35).

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	Chester	Rindge
People
Population	5,300Lowest	6,497Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.7%Highest NH: +4.6%	+7.7%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH	35±3.9Lowest 19% below NH
Kids under 18	19.6%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2%	21.2%±4.4Highest NH: 18.2%
	Rindge and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.4%±4Lowest NH: 20.1%	18%±3.7Highest NH: 20.1%
	Rindge 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%Highest NH: 40.6%	31.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 6%	18.3%±2.5Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH	$102,679±$20kLowest 4% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH	$415,400±$35kLowest 3% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,123±$60 25% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,464Highest 27% above NH	$6,636Lowest about the NH average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2%	29.1%±19.7Highest NH: 48.2%
	Rindge and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4%Lowest NH: 7.2%	9.6%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	97.7%Highest NH: 72.8%	84.8%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH	1984Lowest 5 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 31% above NH	28 minLowest 4% above NH
Work from home	16.4%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8%	18.1%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8%
	Rindge 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	#50 of 120 in NH
School district	Chester School District	Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.