Compare towns
Nottingham vs Salem 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%).
Salem has the most renters (24.4% rent).
Barnstead has the most affordable homes ($362k 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 | Nottingham | Salem | Barnstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,357 |
30,964Highest |
4,994Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.8±6.7Lowest 10% below NH |
44.6±2.7Highest 3% above NH |
42.8±3.1 about the NH average |
| Salem and Barnstead 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% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest 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%±4.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.6%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±4.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Barnstead and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
38.7% NH: 40.6% |
30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,201±$20kHighest 23% above NH |
$110,490±$9kLowest 12% above 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±$26k 14% above NH |
$473,300±$16kHighest 18% above NH |
$362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH |
| Salem and Nottingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$1kHighest 39% above NH |
$1,625±$146 9% above NH |
$1,395±$75Lowest 6% below NH |
| Nottingham and Salem 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 |
$6,992 5% above NH |
$6,003Lowest 10% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 92.1%±44.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±9.6Lowest 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% |
5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 13 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above NH |
29 minLowest 9% above NH |
31 min 16% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.2%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.3%±2.9 NH: 16.8% |
13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Nottingham and Salem 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 | #38 of 120 in NH | #111 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Nottingham School District | Salem School District | Barnstead School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Salem High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.