Compare towns
Lee vs Madbury 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
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Madbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Lee | Madbury | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,576 |
2,203Lowest |
9,170Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
45.6±4Highest 5% above NH |
| Weare and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±5.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4 NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6% NH: 40.6% |
52.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
| Lee and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
$118,271±$17kLowest 19% above NH |
| Madbury and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,600±$61kHighest 19% above NH |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$396,300±$26kLowest about the NH average |
| Lee and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,574±$759Highest 6% above NH |
$1,541±$214Lowest 3% above NH |
| Madbury and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,661 45% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,272Lowest 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Weare and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6% NH: 7.2% |
4.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1984Lowest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | — | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Oyster River Coop School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | John Stark Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.