Compare towns
Weare vs Plainfield vs Durham vs Dunbarton
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%).
Plainfield has the most kids (23.4% under 18).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Dunbarton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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.
| Measure | Weare | Plainfield | Durham | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,170 |
2,522Lowest |
15,080Highest |
3,097 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.6±4 5% above NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
| Dunbarton 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% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield 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% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Dunbarton and Plainfield 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% |
46.7% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $118,271±$17kLowest 19% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$124,348±$21kHighest 26% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Durham 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 |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
| Durham and Dunbarton 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 |
$1,674±$181Highest 12% above NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
| Plainfield 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 |
$7,904 19% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,233 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±24.6 NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham 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% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
22 min 18% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
34 min 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | Plainfield School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | John Stark Regional High School | None in town | 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 | 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.