Compare towns
Strafford 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
Strafford has the most people working from home (15.9%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
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 | Strafford | Ware | Barnstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,306Lowest |
10,048Highest |
4,994 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.3±2.1Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
42.8±3.1Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Ware 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% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
21%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Barnstead and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4.1Lowest 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+ | 40.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest 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. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$111,660±$12k 38% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $427,900±$29kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$362,400±$25k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,635±$246Highest 16% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,395±$75 about the U.S. average |
| Strafford and Barnstead 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. |
$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$6,003 92% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.3%±30.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.6%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Strafford and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #111 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Strafford School District | Ware | Barnstead School District |
| High school in town | 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 |
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.