Compare towns
Guildhall vs Topsham vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Guildhall has the highest household income ($115k).
Topsham has the most people working from home (14.2%).
Lancaster has the most renters (34.6% rent).
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 | Guildhall | Topsham | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 371Lowest |
999 |
2,230Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±7.8 10% above U.S. |
50.1±5.9Highest 29% above U.S. |
38.6±8.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Topsham and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±7.5 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.1%±8.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±4.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Guildhall and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lancaster and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,000±$46kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$72,308±$60k 10% below U.S. |
$66,765±$20kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Guildhall and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $321,200±$62kHighest 3% below U.S. |
$222,900±$56k 33% below U.S. |
$200,500±$24kLowest 40% below U.S. |
| Guildhall and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$717Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$908±$398 36% below U.S. |
$1,036±$221Highest 27% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,625Highest 48% above U.S. |
$4,006Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$4,225 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
91.9%±28.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±18.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Topsham and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Topsham and Lancaster 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 | — | — | #107 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Waits River Union High District #36 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.