What stands out worked out from the figures below

Jaffrey has the most homeowners (81.8%).

Peterborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.1%).

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	Jaffrey	Peterborough
People
Population	5,448Lowest	6,408Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.5%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+2.1%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	42.9±3.9Lowest about the NH average	52.1±1.9Highest 20% above NH
Kids under 18	23.1%±5.1Highest NH: 18.2%	16.3%±5.1Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Jaffrey and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 20.1%	30.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%	62.2%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±2.4Highest NH: 6%	2%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%
	Jaffrey and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$92,330±$18kLowest 7% below NH	$98,401±$8kHighest about the NH average
	Peterborough and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$245,500±$27kLowest 39% below NH	$404,500±$31kHighest about the NH average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$962±$202Lowest 35% below NH	$1,395±$209Highest 6% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,196Lowest 7% below NH	$8,655Highest 30% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.7%±23Highest NH: 48.2%	29.2%±7.4Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Jaffrey and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.8%Lowest NH: 7.2%	5.7%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.8%Highest NH: 72.8%	56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 6 yrs older than NH	1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 8% below NH	23 minLowest 16% below NH
Work from home	7.5%±4.2Lowest NH: 16.8%	15.8%±4.5Highest NH: 16.8%
	Peterborough and Jaffrey 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	#87 of 120 in NH	#59 of 120 in NH
School district	Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District	Contoocook Valley School District
High school in town	Conant Middle High School (H)	Conval Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	21.3Highest	12.0Lowest
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.