What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).

Gilford has the shortest commute (22 min average).

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	Pelham	Gilford
People
Population	14,449Highest	7,830Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.3%Highest NH: +4.6%	+8%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.5±2.7Lowest 4% below NH	48.2±3.9Highest 11% above NH
Kids under 18	22%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2%	20.6%±4.5Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Pelham and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1%	21.8%±3.2Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40%Lowest NH: 40.6%	45.4%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±1.3Highest NH: 6%	2.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$135,956±$19kHighest 37% above NH	$116,635±$11kLowest 18% above NH
	Pelham and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH	$456,500±$56kLowest 13% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,425±$88Highest 4% below NH	$1,150±$747Lowest 23% below NH
	Pelham and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,634Highest 30% above NH	$4,868Lowest 27% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2%	62.2%±8.5Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Pelham and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2%	6.2%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%	93.1%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH	1983Lowest 4 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 10% above NH	22 minLowest 18% below NH
Work from home	22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8%	16.9%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Pelham and Gilford 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	#48 of 120 in NH	#45 of 120 in NH
School district	Pelham School District	Gilford School District
High school in town	Pelham High School	Gilford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	11.5Highest
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.