Compare towns
Webster vs Belgrade vs Boscawen
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the highest household income ($107k).
Belgrade has the most people working from home (20.4%).
Boscawen has the most renters (24.7% rent).
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 | Webster | Belgrade | Boscawen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,227Lowest |
3,351 |
4,044Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±7.6Lowest 15% above U.S. |
47.3±14.6Highest 22% above U.S. |
46±4.2 18% above U.S. |
| Belgrade and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Boscawen and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Belgrade and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,171±$14kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$88,338±$13k 9% above U.S. |
$77,328±$27kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Webster and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $338,500±$30kHighest about the U.S. average |
$312,200±$44k 6% below U.S. |
$286,500±$23kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Webster and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,396±$622Highest about the U.S. average |
$857±$108Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$1,265±$307 10% below U.S. |
| Webster and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,021 93% above U.S. |
$2,859Lowest 8% below U.S. |
$6,549Highest 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.6%±71Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±21 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Webster and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.1%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.4%±8.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Belgrade and Webster 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 | — | #71 of 133 in ME | #51 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Merrimack Valley School District | RSU 18 | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.