Compare towns
New Ipswich vs Chester vs Jaffrey
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Ipswich has the most kids (29.9% under 18).
Chester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
Jaffrey has the most affordable homes ($246k 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 | New Ipswich | Chester | Jaffrey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,310 |
5,300Lowest |
5,448Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% NH: +4.6% |
+9.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-2.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±2.4Lowest 15% below NH |
47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
42.9±3.9 about the NH average |
| Chester and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 29.9%±5.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.6%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.1%±5.1 NH: 18.2% |
| New Ipswich and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.3%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±4 NH: 20.1% |
18.5%±3.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Jaffrey and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1% NH: 40.6% |
41.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
31.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
3.1%±2.4 NH: 6% |
| Chester and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,507±$9k 12% above NH |
$142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
$92,330±$18kLowest 7% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,400±$31k about the NH average |
$552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
$245,500±$27kLowest 39% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $882±$469Lowest 41% below NH |
— | $962±$202Highest 35% below NH |
| Jaffrey and New Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,647Lowest 15% below NH |
$8,464Highest 27% above NH |
$6,196 7% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±41.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
45.7%±23 NH: 48.2% |
| New Ipswich and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
81.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 22% above NH |
35 minHighest 31% above NH |
25 minLowest 8% below NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
7.5%±4.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Chester and New Ipswich 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 | #82 of 120 in NH | #90 of 120 in NH | #87 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mascenic Regional School District | Chester School District | Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Mascenic Regional High School | None in town | Conant Middle High School (H) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
— | 21.3Highest |
| 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.