Compare towns
Hillsborough vs Barnstead vs Allenstown vs Milton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hillsborough has the oldest housing (typical home built 1974).
Barnstead has the highest household income ($112k).
Allenstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.9%).
Milton has the most people working from home (18.9%).
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 | Hillsborough | Barnstead | Allenstown | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,980Highest |
4,994 |
4,743 |
4,538Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% NH: +4.6% |
+7% NH: +4.6% |
+8.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-2.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±4.6 6% below NH |
42.8±3.1 about the NH average |
39.4±4.7Lowest 9% below NH |
45.7±2.4Highest 6% above NH |
| Milton and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21%±5Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.9%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
18.4%±5 NH: 18.2% |
| Barnstead and Allenstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±3.9 NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±4.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.8 NH: 20.1% |
16.1%±3.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Barnstead and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.9% NH: 40.6% |
30.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
19.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
21.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
0.7%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Barnstead and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,495±$12k 15% below NH |
$111,660±$12kHighest 13% above NH |
$72,500±$21kLowest 27% below NH |
$94,493±$27k 5% below NH |
| Barnstead and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,300±$16k 32% below NH |
$362,400±$25kHighest 10% below NH |
$243,600±$69kLowest 39% below NH |
$318,400±$34k 21% below NH |
| Barnstead and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$390Lowest 20% below NH |
$1,395±$75 6% below NH |
$1,281±$397 14% below NH |
$1,587±$318Highest 6% above NH |
| Milton and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,815 13% below NH |
$6,003Highest 10% below NH |
$4,098Lowest 39% below NH |
$5,663 15% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
47.6%±50.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
57.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
63.7%±24.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Milton and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6% NH: 7.2% |
3.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.3% NH: 72.8% |
93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 54% above NH |
31 min 16% above NH |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
33 min 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 14%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
13%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.9%±6.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Milton and Hillsborough 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 | #97 of 120 in NH | #111 of 120 in NH | — | #116 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District | Barnstead School District | Allenstown School District | Milton School District |
| High school in town | Hillsboro-Deering High School | None in town | None in town | Nute High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
— | — | 10.6Highest |
| 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.