Barrington

Strafford County•Seacoast Region•Population: 9,326

Nature Lovers Families Outdoor Enthusiasts

Overview

Barrington is a rural town in Strafford County, made up largely of forest, farmland, and several small lakes scattered across a low-density landscape. The town has no traditional downtown, functioning instead as a bedroom community for Dover, Rochester, and the University of New Hampshire in nearby Durham.

Swains Lake and several smaller ponds offer swimming and fishing close to home, while large tracts of conservation land preserve much of the town's rural character. Route 9 and Route 125 provide the main commercial and commuting corridors through town.

Barrington attracts families and outdoor-oriented residents seeking more land and lower density than the nearby Seacoast cities, while still keeping a reasonable commute to Dover or Durham. Housing remains more affordable than closer-in Seacoast communities.

Pros & Cons

✓ Pros

•Rural character
•Lake access
•Affordable
•Conservation land

✗ Cons

•No downtown
•Limited services
•Longer commute

Cost of Owning Here

Official property tax rates published by the NH Department of Revenue Administration, plus estimated tax bills for Barrington.

2025 Local Tax Rate

$19.56

per $1,000 assessed value

2025 Effective (Equalized) Rate

$15.59

Equalization ratio: 80%

Municipal

$3.39

Local School

$13.13

State Education

$1.15

County

$1.89

Why "Effective Rate" is a better comparison

New Hampshire towns do not all assess property at the same percentage of market value. The state publishes an annual equalization ratio for every municipality showing how close local assessments are to full market value. A town that assesses homes at only 64% of market value will show an artificially high tax rate compared to a town that assesses at 100%. Multiplying the local rate by the equalization ratio produces an effective (equalized) rate that can be fairly compared across any two towns in the state.

Year	Total Rate	Effective Rate	Municipal	Local School	State Ed.	County
2025	$19.56	$15.59	$3.39	$13.13	$1.15	$1.89

Source: NH DRA

Example Tax Bills for 2025

Home Value	Estimated Annual Tax	Estimated Monthly
$250,000	$4,890	$408
$350,000	$6,846	$571
$500,000	$9,780	$815
$750,000	$14,670	$1,223
$1,000,000	$19,560	$1,630

Estimates calculated using the 2025 local tax rate of $19.56 per $1,000 of assessed value. Actual tax bills depend on your property's specific assessed value and any exemptions or credits you may qualify for.

Open Full Calculator →Compare With Other Towns →View Statewide Rankings →

Climate & Environment

Summer Avg High

79.8°F

Winter Avg High

36.7°F

Annual Snowfall

50.4 in

Annual Rainfall

49.9 in

Sunny Days/Year

265

Data source: Open-Meteo / ERA5 • Updated 7/3/2026

Transportation & Commute

Commute to Major Cities

Boston

74 mi

~102 min drive

Manchester

31 mi

~56 min drive

Portsmouth

20 mi

~38 min drive

Concord

28 mi

~55 min drive

Data source: OpenRouteService / OpenStreetMap • Updated 7/3/2026

Safety & Crime

Safety Score

9/10

Crime Rate

5.47/1,000

Crime Trend

stable

Data source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/) • Updated 8/12/2026

Recreation & Outdoors

Outdoor Recreation Score

43/100

Trail Miles

40.0

Boat Launches

State Parks

Winter & Camping

Snowmobile Trails:0 miles

XC Ski Trails:0 miles

Campgrounds:1

Economy & Demographics

💰Income

Median Household Income

$103,258

Per Capita Income

$45,285

Median Family Income

$114,630

🏠Housing Costs

Median Home Value

$326,400

Median Rent

$1,652/mo

Homeownership Rate

90.39%

💼Employment

Unemployment Rate

2.24%

In Labor Force

5,361

🎓Education

Bachelor's Degree or Higher

28.27%

Total with Degree

beach loversretirees

Compare Barrington with Other Towns

See how Barrington stacks up against other NH communities.

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