Compare towns
Strafford vs Dracut 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
Strafford has the most people working from home (15.9%).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Barnstead has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
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 | Strafford | Dracut | Barnstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,306Lowest |
32,574Highest |
4,994 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.3±2.1Highest 19% above U.S. |
41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.8±3.1 10% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Dracut and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barnstead and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barnstead and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,105±$22kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$111,660±$12kLowest 38% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $427,900±$29k 29% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$362,400±$25kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,635±$246 16% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,395±$75Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Dracut and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,086Highest 95% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$6,003 92% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.3%±30.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.6%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Strafford and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 15% above U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Strafford 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 | #73 of 120 in NH | #201 of 282 in MA | #111 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Strafford School District | Dracut | Barnstead School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dracut Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— |
| 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.