Compare towns
Francestown vs Pembroke vs Plymouth vs Weare
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Francestown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
Pembroke has the most kids (24% under 18).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Weare has the highest household income ($118k).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Francestown | Pembroke | Plymouth | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,398Lowest |
7,438 |
6,601 |
9,170Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% NH: +4.6% |
+1.3% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.5%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 51.2±4.5Highest 18% above NH |
41.9±3.3 3% below NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
45.6±4 5% above NH |
| Francestown and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.4 NH: 18.2% |
24%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4 NH: 18.2% |
| Pembroke and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±2.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3 NH: 20.1% |
| Francestown and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.9% NH: 40.6% |
32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
54%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.6 NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $104,063±$16k 5% above NH |
$89,519±$22k 10% below NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$118,271±$17kHighest 19% above NH |
| Weare and Francestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $408,200±$34kHighest about the NH average |
$371,500±$20k 8% below NH |
$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$396,300±$26k about the NH average |
| Francestown and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,358±$256 9% below NH |
$1,218±$354 18% below NH |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,541±$214Highest 3% above NH |
| Weare and Francestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,014Highest 20% above NH |
$7,589 14% above NH |
$6,288 6% below NH |
$6,272Lowest 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±77Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.4%±21.8 NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Francestown and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% NH: 7.2% |
15% NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
67.4% NH: 72.8% |
56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 57% above NH |
25 min 8% below NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
36 min 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 27.4%±7.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
17%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Francestown and Weare 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 | — | #85 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Pembroke School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Pembroke Academy | Plymouth Regional High School | John Stark Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
12.8 |
11.4Lowest |
| 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.