Compare towns
Weare vs Pembroke vs Plymouth vs Francestown
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 highest household income ($118k).
Pembroke has the most kids (24% under 18).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Francestown has the most people working from home (27.4%).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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.
| Measure | Weare | Pembroke | Plymouth | Francestown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,170Highest |
7,438 |
6,601 |
1,398Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.3% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.6±4 5% above NH |
41.9±3.3 3% below NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
51.2±4.5Highest 18% above NH |
| Francestown 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% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±4.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Pembroke 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% |
16.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.7%±2.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Francestown 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% |
54%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.6 NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $118,271±$17kHighest 19% above NH |
$89,519±$22k 10% below NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$104,063±$16k 5% above NH |
| Weare and Francestown 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±$20k 8% below NH |
$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$408,200±$34kHighest about the NH average |
| Francestown and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,541±$214Highest 3% above NH |
$1,218±$354 18% below NH |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,358±$256 9% below NH |
| Weare and Francestown 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 |
$6,288 6% below NH |
$8,014Highest 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±24.6 NH: 48.2% |
48.4%±21.8 NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.7%±77Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Francestown 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% |
15% NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% NH: 72.8% |
67.4% NH: 72.8% |
56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 34% above NH |
25 min 8% below NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
42 minHighest 57% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
17%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.4%±7.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Francestown and Weare 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 | #47 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | Pembroke School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | John Stark Regional High School | Pembroke Academy | Plymouth Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
12.8 |
— |
| 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.