Compare towns
Dorchester vs Franconia vs Newfields
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Franconia has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Newfields has the most people working from home (25.5%).
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 | Dorchester | Franconia | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 410Lowest |
1,060 |
2,023Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56±10.5Highest 29% above NH |
55.6±7 28% above NH |
44.1±1.8Lowest about the NH average |
| Dorchester and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
15.2%±5.5 NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±1.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Newfields and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
36.6%±6.7 NH: 20.1% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Dorchester and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
57.9% NH: 40.6% |
68.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5%±5.4 NH: 6% |
7.5%±7.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Newfields and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | — | $87,292±$28kLowest 12% below NH |
$197,885±$15kHighest 100% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH |
$530,300±$96k 32% above NH |
$646,400±$34kHighest 61% above NH |
| Newfields and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,281±$278Lowest 14% below NH |
$1,875±$323Highest 26% above NH |
| Newfields and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,779Lowest 43% below NH |
$7,451 12% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
73.2%±74.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.3%±40.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Franconia and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
11.4% NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
83.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above NH |
20 minLowest 25% below NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 12.2%±8.8 NH: 16.8% |
11.9%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
25.5%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Lafayette Regional School District | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.