Compare towns
Weare vs Chester vs Strafford vs Gilford
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%).
Chester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
Gilford has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Chester | Strafford | Gilford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,170Highest |
5,300 |
4,306Lowest |
7,830 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6% NH: +4.6% |
+8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.6±4Lowest 5% above NH |
47.2±3.8 9% above NH |
46.3±2.1 7% above NH |
48.2±3.9Highest 11% above NH |
| Gilford and Chester 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% |
19.6%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
17.6%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Weare and Gilford 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% |
17.4%±4 NH: 20.1% |
19.4%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±3.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Gilford and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.2% NH: 40.6% |
41.1% NH: 40.6% |
40.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Strafford and Chester 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 |
$142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
$122,105±$22k 23% above NH |
$116,635±$11kLowest 18% above NH |
| Chester and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,300±$26kLowest about the NH average |
$552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
$427,900±$29k 6% above NH |
$456,500±$56k 13% above NH |
| Chester and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,541±$214 3% above NH |
— | $1,635±$246Highest 10% above NH |
$1,150±$747Lowest 23% below NH |
| Strafford and Weare 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 |
$8,464Highest 27% above NH |
$6,086 9% below NH |
$4,868Lowest 27% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±24.6 NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±8.5 NH: 48.2% |
| Strafford and Weare 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% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.5% NH: 72.8% |
93.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1983Lowest 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 34% above NH |
35 min 31% above NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
15.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.9%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Weare and Gilford 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 | #84 of 120 in NH | #90 of 120 in NH | #73 of 120 in NH | #45 of 120 in NH |
| School district | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | Chester School District | Strafford School District | Gilford School District |
| High school in town | John Stark Regional High School | None in town | None in town | Gilford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | — | 11.5Highest |
| 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.