Compare towns
Hillsborough vs Holderness vs Madbury
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 most affordable homes ($272k median).
Madbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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.
| Measure | Hillsborough | Holderness | Madbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,980Highest |
1,917Lowest |
2,203 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±4.6Highest 6% below NH |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
| Hillsborough and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±3.9 NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Madbury 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±$12kLowest 15% below NH |
$107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
| Madbury and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,300±$16kLowest 32% below NH |
$363,100±$60k 10% below NH |
$476,900±$31kHighest 18% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$390Lowest 20% below NH |
$2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
| Holderness and Madbury 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 |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±23.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2 NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hillsborough and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% NH: 7.2% |
12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
83.7% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 54% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 14%±5.2Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #97 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District | Holderness School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Hillsboro-Deering High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
— | — |
| 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.