Compare towns
Madbury vs Weare 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 highest household income ($148k).
Weare has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
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 | Weare | Dover | Barrington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,203Lowest |
9,170 |
33,364Highest |
9,489 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% NH: +4.6% |
+3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
45.6±4Highest 5% above NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
38.7±2.3 11% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4 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%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Dover and Barrington 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% |
41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
42.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4 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±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
$118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$110,323±$14k 11% above NH |
| Madbury and Weare 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 |
$396,300±$26kLowest about the NH average |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$399,100±$30k about the NH average |
| Madbury and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,574±$759 6% above NH |
$1,541±$214Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,867±$194Highest 25% above NH |
| Barrington and Dover 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 |
$6,272Lowest 6% below NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$7,121 7% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
63.1%±25.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Barrington and Weare 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% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
30 min 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
18.7%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
| Weare 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 | — | #84 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #65 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | Dover School District | Barrington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | John Stark Regional High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
12.7Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.