What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middleton has the most affordable homes ($312k median).

Webster has the shortest commute (31 min average).

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	Middleton	Webster
People
Population	1,595Lowest	2,227Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.2% NH: +4.6%	+2.2% NH: +4.6%
Median age	43.5±5.7Lowest about the NH average	44.7±7.6Highest 3% above NH
	Webster and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.9%±4.2Lowest NH: 18.2%	22.6%±8Highest NH: 18.2%
	Webster and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.9%±2Lowest NH: 20.1%	19.4%±1.3Highest NH: 20.1%
	Webster and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.4%Lowest NH: 40.6%	30.7%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.9Highest NH: 6%	3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6%
	Middleton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$101,696±$8kLowest about the NH average	$107,171±$14kHighest 8% above NH
	Webster and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$312,300±$27kLowest 22% below NH	$338,500±$30kHighest 16% below NH
	Webster and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,500±$293Highest about the NH average	$1,396±$622Lowest 6% below NH
	Middleton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,504Lowest 17% below NH	$6,021Highest 10% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	83.3%±100Highest NH: 48.2%	53.6%±71Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Middleton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.8%Lowest NH: 7.2%	9.6%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96.5%Highest NH: 72.8%	96%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH	1979Lowest same as NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	39 minHighest 45% above NH	31 minLowest 14% above NH
Work from home	14.1%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8%	17.1%±3.9Highest NH: 16.8%
	Webster and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Middleton School District	Merrimack Valley School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
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.