What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lincoln has the most people working from home (16.3%).

Chatham has the most homeowners (82.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Lincoln	Chatham
People
Population	1,461Highest	430Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.9% NH: +4.6%	—
Median age	46.8±10.1Lowest 8% above NH	48.3±8.6Highest 12% above NH
	Chatham and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.4%±5.1Lowest NH: 18.2%	21.4%±7.4Highest NH: 18.2%
	Chatham and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28.3%±7Highest NH: 20.1%	26.5%±10Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Lincoln and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	38.6%Highest NH: 40.6%	38.4%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.6%±1.7Lowest NH: 6%	5.8%±3.8Highest NH: 6%
	Chatham and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,625±$54kHighest 29% below NH	$66,042±$19kLowest 33% below NH
	Lincoln and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$342,000±$38kLowest 15% below NH	$362,900±$42kHighest 10% below NH
	Chatham and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,143±$498 23% below NH	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,984Lowest 55% below NH	$3,690Highest 45% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.7%±26Highest NH: 48.2%	33.3%±100Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Lincoln and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Lowest NH: 7.2%	8.1%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72%Lowest NH: 72.8%	82.8%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH	1979Lowest same as NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 15% below NH	36 minHighest 33% above NH
Work from home	16.3%±8.1Highest NH: 16.8%	7.3%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Lincoln and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Lincoln-Woodstock Cooperative School District	—
High school in town	Lin-Wood Public School (High)	—
Students per teacherat that high school	7.4	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.