Compare towns
Center Harbor vs Madbury vs Freedom vs Sugar Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Center Harbor has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Freedom has the most affordable homes ($389k median).
Sugar Hill has the most expensive homes ($640k 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.
| Measure | Center Harbor | Madbury | Freedom | Sugar Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 955 |
2,203Highest |
1,494 |
658Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.3% NH: +4.6% |
+13.4% NH: +4.6% |
+14.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 60.4±4.8 39% above NH |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
60.6±3.2 40% above NH |
60.8±2.1Highest 40% above NH |
| Sugar Hill and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.9%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 39.5%±13.2 NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
40.3%±4.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
37.2%±12.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Freedom and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.1% NH: 40.6% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
39.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.5 NH: 6% |
2%±3.1 NH: 6% |
| Madbury and Sugar Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $104,313±$16k 5% above NH |
$148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
$66,136±$14kLowest 33% below NH |
$154,091±$32kHighest 56% above NH |
| Sugar Hill and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $463,800±$74k 15% above NH |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$389,000±$43kLowest 3% below NH |
$639,700±$50kHighest 59% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,574±$759Highest 6% above NH |
— | $1,208±$630Lowest 19% below NH |
| Madbury and Sugar Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,667 30% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$3,478Lowest 48% below NH |
$7,340 10% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.3%±59.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2 NH: 48.2% |
79.6%±75Highest NH: 48.2% |
40%±100 NH: 48.2% |
| Freedom and Sugar Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2% NH: 7.2% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91% NH: 72.8% |
95.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1964Lowest 15 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 8% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 8.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
18.5%±7.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.8%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Freedom and Sugar Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Oyster River Coop School District | Freedom School District | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.