What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gilsum has the shortest commute (27 min average).

Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).

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	Gilsum	Middleton
People
Population	716Lowest	1,595Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.5%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+2.2%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	44.8±8.1Highest 3% above NH	43.5±5.7Lowest about the NH average
	Gilsum and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	12%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2%	18.9%±4.2Highest NH: 18.2%
	Middleton and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.3%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1%	18.9%±2Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Gilsum and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	18.7%Lowest NH: 40.6%	23.4%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±2.3Lowest NH: 6%	3.2%±1.9Highest NH: 6%
	Middleton and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$80,417±$7kLowest 19% below NH	$101,696±$8kHighest about the NH average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$241,500±$32kLowest 40% below NH	$312,300±$27kHighest 22% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,575±$894Highest 6% above NH	$1,500±$293Lowest about the NH average
	Gilsum and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,579Highest 16% below NH	$5,504Lowest 17% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	76.5%±55.4Lowest NH: 48.2%	83.3%±100Highest NH: 48.2%
	Middleton and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.4%Highest NH: 7.2%	5.8%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.5%Lowest NH: 72.8%	96.5%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 7 yrs older than NH	1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the NH average	39 minHighest 45% above NH
Work from home	11.9%±8.7Lowest NH: 16.8%	14.1%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8%
	Middleton and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Monadnock Regional School District	Middleton School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.