Compare towns

Weare vs Durham 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

Weare has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Barrington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

MeasureWeareDurhamBarrington
People
Population
9,170Lowest
15,080Highest
9,489
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3.5%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+5.8%
NH: +4.6%
+8.7%Highest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
45.6±4Highest
5% above NH
20.8±0.3Lowest
52% below NH
38.7±2.3
11% below NH
Kids under 18
22.4%±4
NH: 18.2%
10.3%±2.1Lowest
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+
13.5%±3
NH: 20.1%
11.5%±1.6Lowest
NH: 20.1%
15.6%±2.7Highest
NH: 20.1%
Barrington and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
41.2%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
75.4%Highest
NH: 40.6%
42.4%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.3%±1.4Lowest
NH: 6%
55.1%±3.2Highest
NH: 6%
5.3%±1.9
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$118,271±$17k
19% above NH
$124,056±$21kHighest
25% above NH
$110,323±$14kLowest
11% above NH
Durham 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±$26kLowest
about the NH average
$504,300±$41kHighest
25% above NH
$399,100±$30k
about the NH average
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,541±$214
3% above NH
$1,429±$143Lowest
4% below NH
$1,867±$194Highest
25% above NH
Barrington and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,272Lowest
6% below NH
$10,000+Highest
at least 50% above NH
$7,121
7% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
62.2%±24.6Lowest
NH: 48.2%
66.4%±16Highest
NH: 48.2%
63.1%±25.2
NH: 48.2%
Durham and Barrington 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%
15.1%Highest
NH: 7.2%
7.1%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
93.5%Highest
NH: 72.8%
64.4%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
87%
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1986
7 yrs newer than NH
1981Lowest
2 yrs newer than NH
1987Highest
8 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
36 minHighest
34% above NH
19 minLowest
27% below NH
30 min
13% above NH
Work from home
22.8%±4.9Highest
NH: 16.8%
19.4%±3.5
NH: 16.8%
18.7%±4.1Lowest
NH: 16.8%
Weare and Durham 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 #9 of 120 in NH #65 of 120 in NH
School district John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District Oyster River Coop School District Barrington School District
High school in town John Stark Regional High School Oyster River High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
11.4Lowest
12.3Highest
—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet 51 photos → 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.