Compare towns
Holderness vs Center Harbor vs Kensington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Center Harbor has the oldest population (median age 60.4).
Kensington has the most people working from home (19.2%).
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 | Holderness | Center Harbor | Kensington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,917 |
955Lowest |
2,009Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9% NH: +4.6% |
-5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-1.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4Lowest 9% below NH |
60.4±4.8Highest 39% above NH |
43.3±5.9 about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3 NH: 18.2% |
11.9%±5.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.1%±2.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Kensington and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6 NH: 20.1% |
39.5%±13.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.8%±2.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Center Harbor and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
47.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
48.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 NH: 6% |
0.9%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
| Kensington and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$104,313±$16kLowest 5% above NH |
$165,083±$18kHighest 67% above NH |
| Kensington and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
$463,800±$74k 15% above NH |
$657,700±$47kHighest 63% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
— | $1,813±$627Lowest 22% above NH |
| Holderness and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$4,667 30% below NH |
$9,637Highest 45% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2 NH: 48.2% |
14.3%±59.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
24.4%±38.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Kensington and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2% NH: 7.2% |
1.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91% NH: 72.8% |
92.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 8% below NH |
29 minHighest 7% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
8.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.2%±3.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Holderness School District | — | Kensington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.