What stands out worked out from the figures below

Stark has the most affordable homes ($198k median).

Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Stark	Middleton
People
Population	419Lowest	1,595Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-14%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+2.2%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	58.8±3.6Highest 36% above NH	43.5±5.7Lowest about the NH average
Kids under 18	14.1%±6.9Lowest NH: 18.2%	18.9%±4.2Highest NH: 18.2%
	Middleton and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.2%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1%	18.9%±2Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	17.5%Lowest NH: 40.6%	23.4%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±4.7Highest NH: 6%	3.2%±1.9Lowest NH: 6%
	Stark and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,750±$23kLowest 28% below NH	$101,696±$8kHighest about the NH average
	Middleton and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$197,700±$34kLowest 51% below NH	$312,300±$27kHighest 22% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,500±$293 about the NH average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,636Lowest 60% below NH	$5,504Highest 17% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.7%±100Lowest NH: 48.2%	83.3%±100Highest NH: 48.2%
	Middleton and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.3%Highest NH: 7.2%	5.8%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.5%Lowest NH: 72.8%	96.5%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Lowest 11 yrs older than NH	1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minLowest 27% above NH	39 minHighest 45% above NH
Work from home	13.9%±6.7Lowest NH: 16.8%	14.1%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8%
	Middleton and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Stark School District	Middleton School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.