Compare towns
Jaffrey vs Chester vs Milton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jaffrey has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Chester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
Milton has the most people working from home (18.9%).
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 | Jaffrey | Chester | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,448Highest |
5,300 |
4,538Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-2.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±3.9Lowest about the NH average |
47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
45.7±2.4 6% above NH |
| Chester and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±5.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.6%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
18.4%±5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Jaffrey and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±4 NH: 20.1% |
16.1%±3.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Jaffrey and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.2% NH: 40.6% |
41.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
21.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.4 NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Chester and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,330±$18kLowest 7% below NH |
$142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
$94,493±$27k 5% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,500±$27kLowest 39% below NH |
$552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
$318,400±$34k 21% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $962±$202Lowest 35% below NH |
— | $1,587±$318Highest 6% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,196 7% below NH |
$8,464Highest 27% above NH |
$5,663Lowest 15% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±23 NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
63.7%±24.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Milton and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
8.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 8% below NH |
35 minHighest 31% above NH |
33 min 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 7.5%±4.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
18.9%±6.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Milton and Chester 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 | #87 of 120 in NH | #90 of 120 in NH | #116 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District | Chester School District | Milton School District |
| High school in town | Conant Middle High School (H) | None in town | Nute High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 21.3Highest |
— | 10.6Lowest |
| 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.