What stands out worked out from the figures below

Holderness has the youngest population (median age 39.4).

Thornton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Holderness	Thornton
People
Population	1,917Lowest	2,799Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+8.8%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	39.4±7.4Lowest 9% below NH	51.1±3.4Highest 18% above NH
Kids under 18	14.7%±9.3Highest NH: 18.2%	13.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Holderness and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1%	19%±4.9Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55.7%Highest NH: 40.6%	46.3%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6%	4.8%±2.9Highest NH: 6%
	Thornton 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±$45kHighest 9% above NH	$90,022±$17kLowest 9% below NH
	Holderness and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$363,100±$60kHighest 10% below NH	$351,900±$20kLowest 13% below NH
	Holderness and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH	$1,270±$428Lowest 15% below NH
	Holderness and Thornton 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	$5,032Highest 25% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2%	57.7%±24.7Highest NH: 48.2%
	Thornton 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%	9.2%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%	88.3%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH	1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the NH average	23 minLowest 15% below NH
Work from home	9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8%	29.8%±9.7Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#18 of 120 in NH
School district	Holderness School District	Thornton School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.