Compare towns
Henniker vs Lyme vs Newmarket vs Hillsborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Newmarket has the most renters (47.1% rent).
Hillsborough has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Henniker is a college town. 27% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Henniker | Lyme | Newmarket | Hillsborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,197 |
1,710Lowest |
9,463Highest |
5,980 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
-1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
41.2±1.9 5% below NH |
40.9±4.6 6% below NH |
| Lyme and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.4% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
49.7% NH: 40.6% |
23.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
$100,845±$13k about the NH average |
$84,495±$12kLowest 15% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,700±$49k 11% below NH |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$455,000±$22k 13% above NH |
$272,300±$16kLowest 32% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,671±$69Highest 12% above NH |
$1,198±$390 20% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,877 33% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,734 31% above NH |
$5,815Lowest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±22.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±8.3 NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±23.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hillsborough and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.6% NH: 7.2% |
6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.5% NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
52.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
28 min 6% above NH |
41 minHighest 54% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.5%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
17.3%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
14%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #56 of 120 in NH | — | #39 of 120 in NH | #97 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Henniker School District | Lyme School District | Newmarket School District | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | Hillsboro-Deering High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.9Highest |
9.5Lowest |
| 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.