Compare towns
Newmarket vs Hanover vs Hillsborough vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newmarket has the most renters (47.1% rent).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Hillsborough has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Newmarket | Hanover | Hillsborough | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,463 |
11,685 |
5,980Lowest |
15,080Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
-1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.9Highest 5% below NH |
28.7±5.1 34% below NH |
40.9±4.6 6% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
| Newmarket and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Hillsborough and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.9 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Hanover and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.7% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
23.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,845±$13k about the NH average |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$84,495±$12kLowest 15% below NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
| Hanover and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $455,000±$22k 13% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$272,300±$16kLowest 32% below NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,671±$69 12% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,198±$390Lowest 20% below NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,734 31% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,815Lowest 13% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±8.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
6% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
92.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above NH |
20 min 27% below NH |
41 minHighest 54% above NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 17.3%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Durham 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 | #39 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #97 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newmarket School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | Hanover High School | Hillsboro-Deering High School | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9 |
10.7 |
9.5Lowest |
12.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.