Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Sutton vs Walpole vs Strafford
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Walpole has the most renters (30.1% rent).
Strafford has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | Sutton | Walpole | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,097 |
2,239Lowest |
3,690 |
4,306Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
-2.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48±3.7 11% above NH |
48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
46.5±10.4 7% above NH |
46.3±2.1Lowest 7% 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%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
22.2%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.6%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Walpole 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 NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
25.5%±5.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Walpole 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% NH: 40.6% |
44.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
40.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6 NH: 6% |
4%±2.8 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Strafford 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 26% above NH |
$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
$82,617±$16kLowest 17% below NH |
$122,105±$22k 23% 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 |
$362,600±$16k 10% below NH |
$319,800±$48kLowest 21% below NH |
$427,900±$29k 6% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,166±$70 22% below NH |
$1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
$1,165±$150Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,635±$246 10% above NH |
| Sutton and Strafford 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 |
$7,652 15% above NH |
$6,078Lowest 9% below NH |
$6,086 9% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
51.6%±21.9 NH: 48.2% |
76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Strafford and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
11.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1971 8 yrs older than NH |
1967Lowest 12 yrs older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 25% above NH |
29 min 10% above NH |
23 minLowest 13% below NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4 NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.9%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Strafford and Sutton 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 | — | #27 of 120 in NH | #73 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.