Compare towns
Hillsborough vs Plymouth vs Barnstead
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 people working from home (14%).
Plymouth has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Barnstead has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7%).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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 | Plymouth | Barnstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,980 |
6,601Highest |
4,994Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±4.6 6% below NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
42.8±3.1Highest about the NH average |
| Barnstead 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% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21%±5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Barnstead and Hillsborough 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% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±4.8Highest 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
54%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.9 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,495±$12k 15% below NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$111,660±$12kHighest 13% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,300±$16kLowest 32% below NH |
$292,400±$22k 27% below NH |
$362,400±$25kHighest 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$390 20% below NH |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,395±$75Highest 6% below NH |
| Barnstead and Hillsborough 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 |
$6,288Highest 6% below NH |
$6,003 10% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±23.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
47.6%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Hillsborough and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% NH: 7.2% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.3% NH: 72.8% |
56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 54% above NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
31 min 16% above NH |
| Work from home | 14%±5.2Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
13%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Hillsborough and Barnstead 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 | #47 of 120 in NH | #111 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Barnstead School District |
| High school in town | Hillsboro-Deering High School | Plymouth Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
12.8Highest |
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| 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.