Compare towns
Madbury vs Hillsborough vs Eliot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Hillsborough has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Eliot has the most people working from home (17.4%).
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 | Madbury | Hillsborough | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,203Lowest |
5,980 |
7,146Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.7±2.1Lowest 3% below U.S. |
40.9±4.6 5% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Madbury and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $148,365±$30kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$84,495±$12kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,900±$31k 43% above U.S. |
$272,300±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,574±$759 11% above U.S. |
$1,198±$390Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,815 86% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±23.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hillsborough and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
41 minHighest 55% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Eliot and Madbury 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 | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | None in town | Hillsboro-Deering High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.