Compare towns
Hillsborough vs Lee vs Newfields vs Barnstead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hillsborough has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
Barnstead has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7%).
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 | Hillsborough | Lee | Newfields | Barnstead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,980Highest |
4,576 |
2,023Lowest |
4,994 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.3% NH: +4.6% |
+7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±4.6Lowest 6% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
44.1±1.8Highest about the NH average |
42.8±3.1 about the NH average |
| Newfields and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
21%±5 NH: 18.2% |
| Lee and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±3.9 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±4.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
68.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
7.5%±7.2Highest NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.9 NH: 6% |
| Newfields and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,495±$12kLowest 15% below NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$197,885±$15kHighest 100% above NH |
$111,660±$12k 13% above NH |
| Newfields and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,300±$16kLowest 32% below NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$646,400±$34kHighest 61% above NH |
$362,400±$25k 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$390Lowest 20% below NH |
— | $1,875±$323Highest 26% above NH |
$1,395±$75 6% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,815Lowest 13% below NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,003 10% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±23.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
43.3%±40.8 NH: 48.2% |
47.6%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Hillsborough and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6% NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
95.3% NH: 72.8% |
93.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 54% above NH |
28 min about the NH average |
26 minLowest 4% below NH |
31 min 16% above NH |
| Work from home | 14%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
25.5%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Newfields 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 | #97 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH | — | #111 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Newfields School District | Barnstead School District |
| High school in town | Hillsboro-Deering High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.