Compare towns
Weare vs Barnstead vs Dunbarton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Weare has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Barnstead has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
Dunbarton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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 | Weare | Barnstead | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,170Highest |
4,994 |
3,097Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7% NH: +4.6% |
+9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.6±4 5% above NH |
42.8±3.1Lowest about the NH average |
48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
21%±5 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Weare and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±4.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Barnstead and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Barnstead and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
$111,660±$12kLowest 13% above NH |
$124,348±$21kHighest 26% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,300±$26k about the NH average |
$362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH |
$484,100±$33kHighest 20% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,541±$214Highest 3% above NH |
$1,395±$75 6% below NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
| Weare and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,272 6% below NH |
$6,003Lowest 10% below NH |
$8,233Highest 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±24.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
47.6%±50.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Weare and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.6% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
31 minLowest 16% above NH |
34 min 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
13%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #84 of 120 in NH | #111 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | Barnstead School District | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | John Stark Regional High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
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| 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.