What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gilford has the most homeowners (93.1%).

Haverhill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).

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	Gilford	Haverhill
People
Population	7,830Lowest	67,698Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.2±3.9Highest 24% above U.S.	39.4±1.1Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	20.6%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.3%±1.5Highest U.S.: 22%
	Haverhill and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	32.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.5%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,635±$11kHighest 44% above U.S.	$88,326±$4kLowest 9% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$456,500±$56kHighest 37% above U.S.	$453,900±$9kLowest 36% above U.S.
	Gilford and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,150±$747Lowest 19% below U.S.	$1,668±$49Highest 18% above U.S.
	Haverhill and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,868Highest 56% above U.S.	$4,772Lowest 53% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.2%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	60.2%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Gilford and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	11.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.	1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 17% below U.S.	27 minHighest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	16.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Gilford 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	#45 of 120 in NH	#243 of 282 in MA
School district	Gilford School District	Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Gilford High School	Haverhill High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.5Lowest	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.