Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Thornton 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
Pittsfield has the most renters (31.2% rent).
Thornton has the most people working from home (29.8%).
Barnstead has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Pittsfield | Thornton | Barnstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,105 |
2,799Lowest |
4,994Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±5.1Lowest 4% below NH |
51.1±3.4Highest 18% above NH |
42.8±3.1 about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±6 NH: 18.2% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21%±5Highest 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+ | 18.7%±4.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±4.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Barnstead and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.9 NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Barnstead and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,318±$14kLowest 25% below NH |
$90,022±$17k 9% below NH |
$111,660±$12kHighest 13% above NH |
| Barnstead and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $294,800±$30kLowest 27% below NH |
$351,900±$20k 13% below NH |
$362,400±$25kHighest 10% below NH |
| Barnstead and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,239±$182Lowest 17% below NH |
$1,270±$428 15% below NH |
$1,395±$75Highest 6% below NH |
| Barnstead and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,694 15% below NH |
$5,032Lowest 25% below NH |
$6,003Highest 10% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.5%±27.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
57.7%±24.7 NH: 48.2% |
47.6%±50.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Pittsfield and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
9.2% NH: 7.2% |
3.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88.3% NH: 72.8% |
93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 1 yr newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
31 minHighest 16% above NH |
| Work from home | 11.6%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
29.8%±9.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
13%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #93 of 120 in NH | #18 of 120 in NH | #111 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pittsfield School District | Thornton School District | Barnstead School District |
| High school in town | Pittsfield High School | None in town | None in town |
| 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.