Compare towns
Weare vs Pembroke vs Chester vs Litchfield
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%).
Pembroke has the most renters (32.6% rent).
Chester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
Litchfield has the highest household income ($162k).
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 | Pembroke | Chester | Litchfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,170Highest |
7,438 |
5,300Lowest |
8,499 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% NH: +4.6% |
+1.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.6±4 5% above NH |
41.9±3.3Lowest 3% below NH |
47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
43.1±1.7 about the NH average |
| Chester and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4 NH: 18.2% |
24%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.6%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Pembroke and Litchfield 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% |
16.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±4Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Chester and Pembroke 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% |
32.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.1% NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
4.4%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
$89,519±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
$142,212±$19k 44% above NH |
$162,036±$11kHighest 64% above NH |
| Litchfield and Chester 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 |
$371,500±$20kLowest 8% below NH |
$552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
$485,000±$18k 20% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,541±$214 3% above NH |
$1,218±$354Lowest 18% below NH |
— | $2,138±$406Highest 43% above NH |
| Litchfield 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 |
$7,589 14% above NH |
$8,464Highest 27% above NH |
$8,273 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±24.6 NH: 48.2% |
48.4%±21.8 NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
81.5%±38.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Litchfield and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 1.4% NH: 7.2% |
15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% NH: 72.8% |
67.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
25 minLowest 8% below NH |
35 min 31% above NH |
29 min 9% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
17%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
| Weare and Litchfield 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 | #85 of 120 in NH | #90 of 120 in NH | #53 of 120 in NH |
| School district | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | Pembroke School District | Chester School District | Litchfield School District |
| High school in town | John Stark Regional High School | Pembroke Academy | None in town | Campbell High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| 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.