Compare towns
Hillsborough vs Plaistow vs New Ipswich 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 affordable homes ($272k median).
Plaistow has the most expensive homes ($405k median).
New Ipswich has the most kids (29.9% under 18).
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.
| Measure | Hillsborough | Plaistow | New Ipswich | Henniker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,980 |
7,861Highest |
5,310Lowest |
6,197 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9% NH: +4.6% |
+2.1% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±4.6Highest 6% below NH |
40.1±3.7 7% below NH |
36.9±2.4 15% below NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
| Hillsborough and Plaistow 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% |
19.8%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
29.9%±5.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±3.9 NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±3.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
12.3%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
| Plaistow and Henniker 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% |
34.9% NH: 40.6% |
32.1% NH: 40.6% |
41.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,495±$12kLowest 15% below NH |
$108,317±$13k 9% above NH |
$110,507±$9kHighest 12% above NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
| New Ipswich and Plaistow 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 |
$404,500±$32kHighest about the NH average |
$392,400±$31k about the NH average |
$356,700±$49k 11% below NH |
| Plaistow and New Ipswich 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 |
$1,664±$187Highest 12% above NH |
$882±$469Lowest 41% below NH |
$1,081±$164 27% below NH |
| Plaistow and Hillsborough 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 |
$7,194 8% above NH |
$5,647Lowest 15% below NH |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±23.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
55.3%±16.9 NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±41.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 6% NH: 7.2% |
4.5% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
78.1% NH: 72.8% |
82.7% NH: 72.8% |
64.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 54% above NH |
29 min 7% above NH |
33 min 22% above NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
| Work from home | 14%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
13.6%±4 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Henniker 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 | #66 of 120 in NH | #82 of 120 in NH | #56 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District | Timberlane Regional School District | Mascenic Regional School District | Henniker School District |
| High school in town | Hillsboro-Deering High School | Timberlane Regional High School | Mascenic Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
11.4 |
11.7Highest |
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| 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.