Compare towns
Chester vs Salisbury vs Sutton
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).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
Sutton has the shortest commute (29 min average).
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 | Salisbury | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,300Highest |
1,609Lowest |
2,239 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.8Lowest 9% above NH |
51.5±4.5Highest 19% above NH |
48.1±4.1 11% above NH |
| Salisbury and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.1%±9.6 NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Sutton and Salisbury 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% |
24.9%±4Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Salisbury and Sutton 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% |
37.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.1 NH: 6% |
2%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Sutton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
$111,591±$17kLowest 13% above NH |
$130,313±$31k 32% above NH |
| Chester and Sutton 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 |
$363,400±$47k 10% below NH |
$362,600±$16kLowest 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,917±$632Highest 29% above NH |
$1,656±$614Lowest 11% above NH |
| Salisbury and Sutton 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 |
$5,859Lowest 12% below NH |
$7,652 15% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19%±72.7 NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Sutton 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% |
7.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
96.9% NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above NH |
32 min 20% above NH |
29 minLowest 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
23.3%±10.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Salisbury 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 | — | — |
| School district | Chester School District | Merrimack Valley School District | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.