Compare towns
Weare vs Sutton vs Henniker 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%).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Dunbarton has the most expensive homes ($484k median).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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 | Sutton | Henniker | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,170Highest |
2,239Lowest |
6,197 |
3,097 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.6±4 5% above NH |
48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
48±3.7 11% above NH |
| Sutton 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% |
20.5%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Weare and Sutton 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% |
21.6%±5.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Sutton 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% |
44.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
$95,206±$21kLowest 4% below NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
| Sutton and Dunbarton 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 |
$362,600±$16k 10% below NH |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
$484,100±$33kHighest 20% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,541±$214 3% above NH |
$1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,166±$70 22% below NH |
| Sutton 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 |
$7,652 15% above NH |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
$8,233 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±24.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Weare and Dunbarton 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% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
29 min 10% above NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
34 min 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Weare and Henniker 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 | — | #56 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Henniker School District | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | John Stark Regional High School | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
10.4Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.