Compare towns
Francestown vs Sutton vs Thornton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Francestown has the most expensive homes ($408k median).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Thornton has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Francestown | Sutton | Thornton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,398Lowest |
2,239 |
2,799Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
+8.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 51.2±4.5Highest 18% above NH |
48.1±4.1Lowest 11% above NH |
51.1±3.4 18% above NH |
| Francestown and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.4 NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Sutton and Francestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±2.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
19%±4.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Francestown and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.9 NH: 6% |
| Sutton and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,063±$16k 5% above NH |
$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
$90,022±$17kLowest 9% below NH |
| Sutton and Francestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $408,200±$34kHighest about the NH average |
$362,600±$16k 10% below NH |
$351,900±$20kLowest 13% below NH |
| Francestown and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,358±$256 9% below NH |
$1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
$1,270±$428Lowest 15% below NH |
| Sutton and Francestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,014Highest 20% above NH |
$7,652 15% above NH |
$5,032Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±77Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
57.7%±24.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Francestown and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% NH: 7.2% |
4.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
9.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.3% NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
88.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 57% above NH |
29 min 10% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 27.4%±7.7 NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
29.8%±9.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Thornton and Francestown 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 | — | — | #18 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Thornton School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.