Compare towns
Weare vs Eliot vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Weare has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Strafford has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Eliot | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,170Highest |
7,146 |
4,306Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4Lowest 17% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
46.3±2.1 19% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Weare and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.5%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford 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 46% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$122,105±$22kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Strafford 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 19% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$427,900±$29k 29% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,541±$214Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,635±$246 16% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,272Highest 101% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$6,086 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±24.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
76.3%±30.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 35% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Weare and Eliot 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #73 of 120 in NH |
| School district | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Strafford 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 |
— | — |
| 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.