Compare towns
Chester vs Sandwich 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).
Sandwich has the most people working from home (36.1%).
Weare has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Sandwich | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,300 |
1,757Lowest |
9,170Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7% NH: +4.6% |
+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.8 9% above NH |
63.6±2.8Highest 47% above NH |
45.6±4Lowest 5% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
7%±3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Weare and Chester 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% |
46.6%±8.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
63.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
| Chester and Weare 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 |
$140,694±$22k 42% above NH |
$118,271±$17kLowest 19% above NH |
| Chester and Sandwich 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 |
$437,700±$79k 9% above NH |
$396,300±$26kLowest about the NH average |
| Chester and Sandwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,679±$1kHighest 13% above NH |
$1,541±$214Lowest 3% above NH |
| Sandwich and Weare 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 |
$4,494Lowest 33% below NH |
$6,272 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
56.4%±41.6 NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Weare and Sandwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4% NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
94% NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 31% above NH |
31 minLowest 16% above NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
36.1%±16.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Sandwich and Weare 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 | — | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Chester School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | John Stark Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
| 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.