Compare towns
Northwood vs Barnstead vs Pittsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northwood has the most people working from home (18.7%).
Barnstead has the most homeowners (93.6%).
Pittsfield has the most renters (31.2% 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 | Northwood | Barnstead | Pittsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,688 |
4,994Highest |
4,105Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7% NH: +4.6% |
-0.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.4±7.8 about the NH average |
42.8±3.1Highest about the NH average |
41.5±5.1Lowest 4% below NH |
| Barnstead and Northwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21%±5Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.8%±6 NH: 18.2% |
| Barnstead and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±4.8 NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±4.6Lowest 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+ | 38.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.9% NH: 40.6% |
22.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.1 NH: 6% |
| Barnstead and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $129,375±$23kHighest 31% above NH |
$111,660±$12k 13% above NH |
$74,318±$14kLowest 25% below NH |
| Northwood and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,000±$13kHighest 10% below NH |
$362,400±$25k 10% below NH |
$294,800±$30kLowest 27% below NH |
| Northwood and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,201±$372Lowest 19% below NH |
$1,395±$75Highest 6% below NH |
$1,239±$182 17% below NH |
| Barnstead and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,806 13% below NH |
$6,003Highest 10% below NH |
$5,694Lowest 15% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.7%±29.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
47.6%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
67.5%±27.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Pittsfield and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% NH: 7.2% |
3.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89% NH: 72.8% |
93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
68.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 37% above NH |
31 min 16% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 18.7%±6.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
13%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
11.6%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Northwood and Barnstead 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 | #24 of 120 in NH | #111 of 120 in NH | #93 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Northwood School District · Coe-Brown Northwood Academy School District | Barnstead School District | Pittsfield School District |
| High school in town | Coe-Brown Northwood Academy | None in town | Pittsfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5 |
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| 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.