Compare towns
Madbury vs Barnstead vs Northwood
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Barnstead has the most homeowners (93.6%).
Northwood has the most people working from home (18.7%).
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 | Madbury | Barnstead | Northwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,203Lowest |
4,994Highest |
4,688 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% NH: +4.6% |
+7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
42.8±3.1Highest about the NH average |
42.4±7.8 about the NH average |
| Barnstead and Northwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
21%±5 NH: 18.2% |
18%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±4.8 NH: 20.1% |
21.5%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Northwood and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
38.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
| Barnstead and Northwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
$111,660±$12kLowest 13% above NH |
$129,375±$23k 31% above NH |
| Madbury and Northwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,900±$31kHighest 18% above NH |
$362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH |
$363,000±$13k 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,574±$759Highest 6% above NH |
$1,395±$75 6% below NH |
$1,201±$372Lowest 19% below NH |
| Madbury and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,003 10% below NH |
$5,806Lowest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
47.6%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.7%±29.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Barnstead and Northwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% NH: 7.2% |
3.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
89% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below NH |
31 min 16% above NH |
37 minHighest 37% above NH |
| Work from home | 14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.7%±6.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Northwood and Madbury 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 | — | #111 of 120 in NH | #24 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Barnstead School District | Northwood School District · Coe-Brown Northwood Academy School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Coe-Brown Northwood Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
| 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.