Compare towns
Weare vs Plymouth vs Dunbarton vs Gilford
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%).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Dunbarton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
Gilford has the oldest population (median age 48.2).
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 | Plymouth | Dunbarton | Gilford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,170Highest |
6,601 |
3,097Lowest |
7,830 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.6±4 5% above NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
48±3.7 11% above NH |
48.2±3.9Highest 11% above NH |
| Gilford and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Weare and Gilford 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% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±3.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Gilford and Dunbarton 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% |
54%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$124,348±$21kHighest 26% above NH |
$116,635±$11k 18% above NH |
| Dunbarton 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±$26k about the NH average |
$292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$484,100±$33kHighest 20% above NH |
$456,500±$56k 13% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Gilford 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 |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,166±$70 22% below NH |
$1,150±$747 23% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,272 6% below NH |
$6,288 6% below NH |
$8,233Highest 23% above NH |
$4,868Lowest 27% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±24.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±8.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
6.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% NH: 72.8% |
56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
34 min 25% above NH |
22 min 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4 NH: 16.8% |
16.9%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Weare and Gilford 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 | #47 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH | #45 of 120 in NH |
| School district | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Dunbarton School District | Gilford School District |
| High school in town | John Stark Regional High School | Plymouth Regional High School | None in town | Gilford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— | 11.5 |
| 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.