Compare towns
Strafford vs Weare vs Barrington
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 expensive homes ($428k median).
Weare has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Barrington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Weare | Barrington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,306Lowest |
9,170 |
9,489Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% NH: +4.6% |
+3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46.3±2.1Highest 7% above NH |
45.6±4 5% above NH |
38.7±2.3Lowest 11% below NH |
| Strafford and Weare 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% |
22.4%±4 NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Barrington and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Strafford and Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
42.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
5.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| Strafford and Barrington 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 23% above NH |
$118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
$110,323±$14kLowest 11% above NH |
| Strafford and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $427,900±$29kHighest 6% above NH |
$396,300±$26kLowest about the NH average |
$399,100±$30k about the NH average |
| Strafford and Barrington 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 |
$1,541±$214Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,867±$194Highest 25% above NH |
| Barrington and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,086Lowest 9% below NH |
$6,272 6% below NH |
$7,121Highest 7% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
63.1%±25.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Strafford and Barrington 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% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
36 min 34% above NH |
30 minLowest 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.7%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
| Weare and Barrington 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 | #84 of 120 in NH | #65 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Strafford School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | Barrington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | John Stark Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.