Compare towns
Hillsborough vs Windsor vs Milton 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 affordable homes ($272k median).
Windsor has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Milton has the most people working from home (18.9%).
Barnstead has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Windsor | Milton | Barnstead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,980Highest |
254Lowest |
4,538 |
4,994 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% NH: +4.6% |
— | -2.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±4.6 6% below NH |
40.2±18.8Lowest 7% below NH |
45.7±2.4Highest 6% above NH |
42.8±3.1 about the NH average |
| Milton and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25.2%±14.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.4%±5 NH: 18.2% |
21%±5 NH: 18.2% |
| Windsor and Barnstead 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% |
15.7%±8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.1%±3.4 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% NH: 40.6% |
12.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
21.7% NH: 40.6% |
30.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 NH: 6% |
3.9%±4.2 NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Barnstead and Windsor 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 |
$103,750±$40k 5% above NH |
$94,493±$27k 5% below NH |
$111,660±$12kHighest 13% above NH |
| Barnstead and Windsor 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 |
$337,500±$40k 16% below NH |
$318,400±$34k 21% below NH |
$362,400±$25kHighest 10% below NH |
| Barnstead and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$390Lowest 20% below NH |
— | $1,587±$318Highest 6% above NH |
$1,395±$75 6% below NH |
| Milton and Barnstead 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 |
$3,381Lowest 49% below NH |
$5,663 15% below NH |
$6,003Highest 10% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
66.7%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
63.7%±24.9 NH: 48.2% |
47.6%±50.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Windsor and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6% NH: 7.2% |
10.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
3.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.3% NH: 72.8% |
96.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 54% above NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
33 min 25% above NH |
31 minLowest 16% above NH |
| Work from home | 14%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
15%±16.5 NH: 16.8% |
18.9%±6.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Milton and Windsor 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 | — | #116 of 120 in NH | #111 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District | — | Milton School District | Barnstead School District |
| High school in town | Hillsboro-Deering High School | — | Nute High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
— | 10.6Highest |
— |
| 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.