Compare towns
Holderness vs Madbury vs Rollinsford 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).
Madbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Rollinsford has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Kensington has the most expensive homes ($658k median).
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 | Madbury | Rollinsford | Kensington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
2,203 |
2,626Highest |
2,009 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.8% NH: +4.6% |
-1.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
38.8±5.5 10% below NH |
43.3±5.9Highest about the NH average |
| Kensington and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
17.1%±2.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
18.8%±2.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
48.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.5 NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
$89,500±$26kLowest 10% below NH |
$165,083±$18kHighest 67% above NH |
| Kensington and Madbury 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 |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$398,100±$33k about the NH average |
$657,700±$47kHighest 63% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,574±$759Lowest 6% above NH |
$1,809±$394 21% above NH |
$1,813±$627 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,851 about the NH average |
$9,637 45% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2 NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40%±26.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
24.4%±38.5 NH: 48.2% |
| Rollinsford and Kensington 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% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
1.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
78.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
29 minHighest 7% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
25.9%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.2%±3.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Rollinsford and Kensington 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 | — | — | #94 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Holderness School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Rollinsford School District | Kensington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.