Compare towns
Francestown vs Pembroke vs Weare vs Canterbury
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 renters (32.6% rent).
Weare has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.5%).
Canterbury has the highest household income ($129k).
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 | Weare | Canterbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,398Lowest |
7,438 |
9,170Highest |
2,353 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% NH: +4.6% |
+1.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.5%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 51.2±4.5Highest 18% above NH |
41.9±3.3Lowest 3% below NH |
45.6±4 5% above NH |
48.6±3.8 12% above NH |
| Francestown and Canterbury 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% |
22.4%±4 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±4.4Lowest 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%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.9%±3.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Canterbury and Francestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
49.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.6 NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
6.8%±3Highest NH: 6% |
| Canterbury and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $104,063±$16k 5% above NH |
$89,519±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
$118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
$129,333±$37kHighest 31% above NH |
| Canterbury and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $408,200±$34k about the NH average |
$371,500±$20kLowest 8% below NH |
$396,300±$26k about the NH average |
$443,700±$21kHighest 10% above NH |
| Canterbury and Francestown 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±$354Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,541±$214 3% above NH |
$2,136±$233Highest 43% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,014Highest 20% above NH |
$7,589 14% above NH |
$6,272Lowest 6% below NH |
$7,421 11% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±77 NH: 48.2% |
48.4%±21.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6 NH: 48.2% |
71.7%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Canterbury and Francestown 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%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
67.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.5% NH: 72.8% |
93.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 57% above NH |
25 minLowest 8% below NH |
36 min 34% above NH |
33 min 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 27.4%±7.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
17%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
21.6%±7.4 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 | #84 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Pembroke School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | Shaker Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Pembroke Academy | John Stark Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
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.