Compare towns
Hillsborough vs Plymouth vs Plaistow 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 most homeowners (92.3%).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Plaistow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).
Milton has the most people working from home (18.9%).
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 | Plaistow | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,980 |
6,601 |
7,861Highest |
4,538Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% NH: +4.6% |
-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-2.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±4.6 6% below NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
40.1±3.7 7% below NH |
45.7±2.4Highest 6% above NH |
| Milton 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% |
19.8%±4.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.4%±5 NH: 18.2% |
| Plaistow and Milton 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% |
17.4%±3.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.1%±3.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Plaistow 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% |
54%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34.9% NH: 40.6% |
21.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,495±$12k 15% below NH |
$77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$108,317±$13kHighest 9% above NH |
$94,493±$27k 5% below NH |
| Plaistow 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±$16kLowest 32% below NH |
$292,400±$22k 27% below NH |
$404,500±$32kHighest about the NH average |
$318,400±$34k 21% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$390 20% below NH |
$1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,664±$187Highest 12% above NH |
$1,587±$318 6% above NH |
| Plaistow and Milton 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 |
$6,288 6% below NH |
$7,194Highest 8% above NH |
$5,663Lowest 15% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.3%±16.9 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% |
18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
78.1% NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 54% above NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
29 min 7% above NH |
33 min 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 14%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
13.6%±4 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 | #47 of 120 in NH | #66 of 120 in NH | #116 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Timberlane Regional School District | Milton School District |
| High school in town | Hillsboro-Deering High School | Plymouth Regional High School | Timberlane Regional High School | Nute High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
12.8Highest |
11.4 |
10.6 |
| 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.