Compare towns
Nottingham vs Plymouth vs Barnstead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Nottingham has the most people working from home (22.2%).
Plymouth has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Barnstead has the oldest population (median age 42.8).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Nottingham | Plymouth | Barnstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,357 |
6,601Highest |
4,994Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.8±6.7 10% below NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
42.8±3.1Highest about the NH average |
| Barnstead and Nottingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.9%±5.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21%±5 NH: 18.2% |
| Nottingham and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±4.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Barnstead and Nottingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.9% NH: 40.6% |
54%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,201±$20kHighest 23% above NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$111,660±$12k 13% above NH |
| Nottingham and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $457,500±$26kHighest 14% above NH |
$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$362,400±$25k 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$1kHighest 39% above NH |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,395±$75 6% below NH |
| Nottingham and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,319Highest 10% above NH |
$6,288 6% below NH |
$6,003Lowest 10% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 92.1%±44.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
47.6%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Nottingham and Barnstead 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% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 13 yrs newer than NH |
1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
31 min 16% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.2%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
13%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Nottingham 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 | #15 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH | #111 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Nottingham School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Barnstead School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Plymouth Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
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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.