Compare towns
Strafford vs Sutton vs Dunbarton 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
Strafford has the most people working from home (15.9%).
Sutton has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Dunbarton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
Barnstead has the youngest population (median age 42.8).
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 | Sutton | Dunbarton | Barnstead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,306 |
2,239Lowest |
3,097 |
4,994Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
+9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46.3±2.1 7% above NH |
48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
48±3.7 11% above NH |
42.8±3.1Lowest about the NH average |
| Sutton and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
21%±5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Barnstead and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±4.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Sutton and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.2% NH: 40.6% |
44.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6 NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
| 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±$22k 23% above NH |
$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
$111,660±$12kLowest 13% above NH |
| Sutton and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $427,900±$29k 6% above NH |
$362,600±$16k 10% below NH |
$484,100±$33kHighest 20% above NH |
$362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH |
| Dunbarton and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,635±$246 10% above NH |
$1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,395±$75 6% below NH |
| Sutton and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,086 9% below NH |
$7,652 15% above NH |
$8,233Highest 23% above NH |
$6,003Lowest 10% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
47.6%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Strafford and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
95.1% NH: 72.8% |
93.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
29 minLowest 10% above NH |
34 min 25% above NH |
31 min 16% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
13%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Strafford and Sutton 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 | — | #33 of 120 in NH | #111 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Strafford School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Dunbarton School District | Barnstead School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.