What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).

Hillsborough has the most affordable homes ($272k median).

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	Brookline	Hillsborough
People
Population	5,736Lowest	5,980Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+13%Highest NH: +4.6%	-1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.2±1.5Highest 5% below NH	40.9±4.6Lowest 6% below NH
	Brookline and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2%	17.4%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1%	16.4%±3.9Highest NH: 20.1%
	Hillsborough and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.7%Highest NH: 40.6%	23.9%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6%	2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6%
	Brookline and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH	$84,495±$12kLowest 15% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH	$272,300±$16kLowest 32% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH	$1,198±$390Lowest 20% below NH
	Brookline and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH	$5,815Lowest 13% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2%	61.7%±23.1Highest NH: 48.2%
	Hillsborough and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2%	6%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.1%Highest NH: 72.8%	92.3%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH	1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 25% above NH	41 minHighest 54% above NH
Work from home	24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8%	14%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Brookline and Hillsborough 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	#23 of 120 in NH	#97 of 120 in NH
School district	Brookline School District	Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District
High school in town	None in town	Hillsboro-Deering High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	9.5
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.