Compare towns

Pittsfield vs Warwick 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).
Warwick has the most people working from home (22.4%).
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.

MeasurePittsfieldWarwickWareBarnstead
People
Population
4,105
776Lowest
10,048Highest
4,994
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-0.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
0%
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.
51.4±7.3Highest
32% above U.S.
43.1±4.7
11% above U.S.
42.8±3.1
10% above U.S.
Warwick and Ware 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%
9.9%±3.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
19.1%±3.5
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%
23.2%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.6%±3.4
U.S.: 17.2%
20.6%±4.8
U.S.: 17.2%
Warwick and Ware 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
U.S.: 35.7%
40.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
24%
U.S.: 35.7%
30.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.5%±3.1
U.S.: 6.4%
2.4%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±2.2
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.
$93,333±$22k
16% above U.S.
$67,475±$15kLowest
16% below U.S.
$111,660±$12kHighest
38% above U.S.
Barnstead and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$294,800±$30k
11% below U.S.
$349,400±$34k
5% above U.S.
$289,700±$28kLowest
13% below U.S.
$362,400±$25kHighest
9% above U.S.
Barnstead and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,239±$182
12% below U.S.
$1,367±$163
3% below U.S.
$1,043±$109Lowest
26% below U.S.
$1,395±$75Highest
about the U.S. average
Barnstead and Warwick 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.
$4,380
40% 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%
33.3%±57.3Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
64.3%±16.2
U.S.: 51.1%
47.6%±50.9
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%
5%
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%
89%
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.
1974
6 yrs older than 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
40 minHighest
52% above U.S.
28 min
8% above U.S.
31 min
18% above U.S.
Work from home
11.6%±5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.4%±6.9Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
12.3%±3.8
U.S.: 15.1%
13%±4.5
U.S.: 15.1%
Warwick 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 #93 of 120 in NH — #267 of 282 in MA #111 of 120 in NH
School district Pittsfield School District Warwick Ware Barnstead School District
High school in town Pittsfield High School None in town Ware Junior/Senior High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school — —
11.1
—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet 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.