What stands out worked out from the figures below

Alton has the most homeowners (93.7%).

Haverhill has the most kids (21.3% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Alton	Haverhill
People
Population	5,994Lowest	67,698Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+11.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	53.7±3.2Highest 38% above U.S.	39.4±1.1Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	13.4%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.3%±1.5Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	25.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	32.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.8%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.5%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,715±$19kHighest 41% above U.S.	$88,326±$4kLowest 9% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$430,400±$37kLowest 29% above U.S.	$453,900±$9kHighest 36% above U.S.
	Haverhill and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,668±$49 18% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,183Lowest 34% above U.S.	$4,772Highest 53% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.7%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	60.2%±5.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Haverhill and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	11.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S.	1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 25% above U.S.	27 minLowest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	13.1%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Alton and Haverhill 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	#72 of 120 in NH	#243 of 282 in MA
School district	Prospect Mountain JMA School District · Alton School District	Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Prospect Mountain High School	Haverhill High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	12.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.