Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Wareham vs Sutton vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dunbarton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
Wareham has the most renters (16.5% rent).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
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 | Wareham | Sutton | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,097 |
23,302Highest |
2,239Lowest |
4,306 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48±3.7 23% above U.S. |
52.1±3.1Highest 34% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1 24% above U.S. |
46.3±2.1Lowest 19% above U.S. |
| Wareham and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Dunbarton 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% |
26.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wareham 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wareham and Strafford 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. |
$90,383±$11kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$122,105±$22k 51% 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±$33kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$427,900±$29k 29% above U.S. |
| 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±$70Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,504±$180 6% above U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,635±$246 16% above U.S. |
| 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 164% above U.S. |
$4,341Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$7,652 145% above U.S. |
$6,086 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±23.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
76.3%±30.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #272 of 282 in MA | — | #73 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Wareham | Kearsarge Regional School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Wareham Senior High | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6Lowest |
10.4Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.