What stands out worked out from the figures below

Alton has the oldest population (median age 53.7).

Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).

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	Pelham
People
Population	5,994Lowest	14,449Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.3%Highest NH: +4.6%	+10.3%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	53.7±3.2Highest 24% above NH	41.5±2.7Lowest 4% below NH
Kids under 18	13.4%±4Lowest NH: 18.2%	22%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	25.1%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1%	16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%	40%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.8%±0.8Lowest NH: 6%	5.9%±1.3Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,715±$19kLowest 15% above NH	$135,956±$19kHighest 37% above NH
	Pelham and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$430,400±$37kLowest 7% above NH	$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,425±$88 4% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,183Lowest 37% below NH	$8,634Highest 30% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.7%±27.7Lowest NH: 48.2%	67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2%
	Pelham and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.1%Highest NH: 7.2%	3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.7%Highest NH: 72.8%	86.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH	1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 24% above NH	30 minLowest 10% above NH
Work from home	13.1%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8%	22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#72 of 120 in NH	#48 of 120 in NH
School district	Prospect Mountain JMA School District · Alton School District	Pelham School District
High school in town	Prospect Mountain High School	Pelham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	10.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.