Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Ware vs Barnstead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittsfield has the most renters (31.2% rent).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Barnstead has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7%).
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 | Ware | Barnstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,105Lowest |
10,048Highest |
4,994 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±5.1Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
42.8±3.1 10% above U.S. |
| Ware and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±6 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $74,318±$14k 8% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$111,660±$12kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $294,800±$30k 11% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$362,400±$25kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,239±$182 12% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,395±$75Highest about the U.S. average |
| Barnstead and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,694 83% above U.S. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$6,003Highest 92% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.5%±27.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.6%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pittsfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.6%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barnstead and Ware 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 | #93 of 120 in NH | #267 of 282 in MA | #111 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pittsfield School District | Ware | Barnstead School District |
| High school in town | Pittsfield High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.