Compare towns
Pembroke vs Chester vs Dunbarton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pembroke has the most renters (32.6% rent).
Chester has the highest household income ($142k).
Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).
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 | Pembroke | Chester | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,438Highest |
5,300 |
3,097Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.3Lowest 3% below NH |
47.2±3.8 9% above NH |
48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.6%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Pembroke and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±4 NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Dunbarton and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
| Chester and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,519±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
$142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
| Chester and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,500±$20kLowest 8% below NH |
$552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
$484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
| Chester and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$354Highest 18% below NH |
— | $1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
| Pembroke and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,589Lowest 14% above NH |
$8,464Highest 27% above NH |
$8,233 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±21.8 NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Dunbarton and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
95.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 8% below NH |
35 minHighest 31% above NH |
34 min 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 17%±4.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Pembroke and Chester 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 | #85 of 120 in NH | #90 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pembroke School District | Chester School District | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Pembroke Academy | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
— | — |
| 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.