Compare towns
Gilford vs Pelham 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
Gilford has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Weare has the most affordable homes ($396k median).
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 | Gilford | Pelham | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,830Lowest |
14,449Highest |
9,170 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% NH: +4.6% |
+10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.2±3.9Highest 11% above NH |
41.5±2.7Lowest 4% below NH |
45.6±4 5% above NH |
| Gilford and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Weare and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±3.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
| Pelham and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,635±$11kLowest 18% above NH |
$135,956±$19kHighest 37% above NH |
$118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
| Pelham and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,500±$56k 13% above NH |
$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
$396,300±$26kLowest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$747Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,425±$88 4% below NH |
$1,541±$214Highest 3% above NH |
| Weare and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,868Lowest 27% below NH |
$8,634Highest 30% above NH |
$6,272 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±8.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% NH: 72.8% |
86.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
30 min 10% above NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 16.9%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #45 of 120 in NH | #48 of 120 in NH | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Gilford School District | Pelham School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | Gilford High School | Pelham High School | John Stark Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
10.4Lowest |
11.4 |
| 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.