Compare towns
Madbury vs Brentwood vs Dover vs Barrington
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).
Brentwood has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Barrington has the most affordable homes ($399k 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 | Madbury | Brentwood | Dover | Barrington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,203Lowest |
4,641 |
33,364Highest |
9,489 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% NH: +4.6% |
+0.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
43.8±3.1Highest about the NH average |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
38.7±2.3 11% below NH |
| Brentwood and Barrington 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% |
21.4%±4.1 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±4 NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Barrington 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% |
21.8%±3.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Brentwood and Dover 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% |
49% NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
42.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.4 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
5.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| Dover and Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
$165,509±$23kHighest 67% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$110,323±$14k 11% above NH |
| Brentwood and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$528,100±$75kHighest 31% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$399,100±$30kLowest about the NH average |
| Brentwood and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,574±$759Lowest 6% above NH |
$2,217±$654Highest 49% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,867±$194 25% above NH |
| Brentwood and Barrington 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 |
$9,713 46% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$7,121Lowest 7% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
63.9%±37.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
63.1%±25.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Brentwood and Barrington 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% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
96%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1995Highest 16 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.1%±8.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
18.7%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
| Brentwood and Barrington 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 | — | #16 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #65 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Brentwood School District | Dover School District | Barrington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 6 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.