Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Nelson 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
Dunbarton has the most expensive homes ($484k median).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
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 | Nelson | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,097Highest |
648Lowest |
2,239 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-13.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48±3.7 11% above NH |
42.3±11.7Lowest about the NH average |
48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
| 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 NH: 18.2% |
27.5%±6.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Nelson and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.8%±2Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Nelson and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
61.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Sutton and Dunbarton 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 26% above NH |
$99,792±$23kLowest about the NH average |
$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
| 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±$33kHighest 20% above NH |
$340,900±$49kLowest 15% below NH |
$362,600±$16k 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,203±$243 19% below NH |
$1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
| Sutton and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,233Highest 23% above NH |
$5,575Lowest 16% below NH |
$7,652 15% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
40%±68.8 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Dunbarton and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% NH: 72.8% |
90.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 25% above NH |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
29 min 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
31.5%±8Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #33 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Nelson 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.