Compare towns
Pelham vs Sharon vs Temple
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Sharon has the most homeowners (93.1%).
Temple has the most affordable homes ($401k median).
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 | Pelham | Sharon | Temple |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,449Highest |
442Lowest |
1,363 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
— | +1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.7Lowest 4% below NH |
49.4±11.2 14% above NH |
49.5±7.3Highest 14% above NH |
| Temple and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±8.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.3%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Sharon and Pelham 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% |
31.4%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.8%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
36.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
1.6%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
1.7%±1.1 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $135,956±$19kHighest 37% above NH |
$113,125±$19k 14% above NH |
$94,107±$15kLowest 5% below NH |
| Pelham and Sharon 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 |
$475,900±$38k 18% above NH |
$401,000±$27kLowest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$88 4% below NH |
$1,458±$1kHighest about the NH average |
$1,169±$523Lowest 22% below NH |
| Sharon and Pelham 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 |
$8,274 24% above NH |
$6,983Lowest 5% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
28.6%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
30.2%±54.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham and Temple 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% NH: 7.2% |
9.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% NH: 72.8% |
93.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 10% above NH |
32 min 20% above NH |
37 minHighest 37% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.2%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.9%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Pelham and Temple 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 | — | — |
| School district | Pelham School District | — | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | Pelham High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.