Compare towns

Hillsborough vs Pembroke vs Somersworth vs Henniker

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 homeowners (92.3%).
Pembroke has the most kids (24% under 18).
Somersworth has the most renters (42.2% rent).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
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.

MeasureHillsboroughPembrokeSomersworthHenniker
People
Population
5,980Lowest
7,438
12,111Highest
6,197
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-1.2%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+1.3%
NH: +4.6%
+0.8%
NH: +4.6%
+27.9%Highest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
40.9±4.6
6% below NH
41.9±3.3Highest
3% below NH
38.4±2.7
11% below NH
31.1±6.1Lowest
28% below NH
Pembroke and Hillsborough 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%
24%±4.6Highest
NH: 18.2%
19.9%±4
NH: 18.2%
15.3%±3.7Lowest
NH: 18.2%
Pembroke and Somersworth 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%
16.4%±3.2
NH: 20.1%
14%±3Lowest
NH: 20.1%
16.5%±6Highest
NH: 20.1%
Henniker 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%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
32.2%
NH: 40.6%
31.4%
NH: 40.6%
41.4%Highest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.6%±1.6Lowest
NH: 6%
3.5%±1.6
NH: 6%
4.9%±2
NH: 6%
27%±6.5Highest
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$84,495±$12k
15% below NH
$89,519±$22k
10% below NH
$74,504±$13kLowest
25% below NH
$95,206±$21kHighest
4% below NH
Henniker and Pembroke 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
$371,500±$20kHighest
8% below NH
$318,400±$23k
21% below NH
$356,700±$49k
11% below NH
Pembroke and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,198±$390
20% below NH
$1,218±$354
18% below NH
$1,477±$134Highest
about the NH average
$1,081±$164Lowest
27% below NH
Somersworth and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,815Lowest
13% below NH
$7,589
14% above NH
$6,805
about the NH average
$8,877Highest
33% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
61.7%±23.1Highest
NH: 48.2%
48.4%±21.8
NH: 48.2%
56.3%±14.7
NH: 48.2%
43.5%±22.6Lowest
NH: 48.2%
Hillsborough and Somersworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
15%Highest
NH: 7.2%
11.2%
NH: 7.2%
11.6%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
92.3%Highest
NH: 72.8%
67.4%
NH: 72.8%
57.8%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
64.5%
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1974Highest
5 yrs older than NH
1969
10 yrs older than NH
1967Lowest
12 yrs older than NH
1974Highest
5 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
41 minHighest
54% above NH
25 min
8% below NH
26 min
3% below NH
20 minLowest
24% below NH
Work from home
14%±5.2
NH: 16.8%
17%±4.8Highest
NH: 16.8%
11.7%±3.5Lowest
NH: 16.8%
15.5%±5.6
NH: 16.8%
Pembroke and Henniker 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 #85 of 120 in NH #117 of 120 in NH #56 of 120 in NH
School district Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District Pembroke School District Somersworth School District Henniker School District
High school in town Hillsboro-Deering High School Pembroke Academy Somersworth High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
9.5Lowest
13.1Highest
11.4
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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.