Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Methuen vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Methuen has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
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 | Dunbarton | Methuen | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,097 |
53,475Highest |
2,239Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48±3.7 23% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Methuen and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Methuen and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,348±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7kLowest 40% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,100±$33k 46% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,166±$70Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
$1,656±$614 17% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,233Highest 164% above U.S. |
$5,061Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$7,652 145% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dunbarton and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton and Dunbarton 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 | #33 of 120 in NH | #236 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Methuen | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Methuen High | Kearsarge Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.