Compare towns
Pembroke vs Hillsborough vs Allenstown vs Plaistow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pembroke has the most people working from home (17%).
Hillsborough has the most homeowners (92.3%).
Allenstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.9%).
Plaistow has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Pembroke | Hillsborough | Allenstown | Plaistow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,438 |
5,980 |
4,743Lowest |
7,861Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3% NH: +4.6% |
-1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.3Highest 3% below NH |
40.9±4.6 6% below NH |
39.4±4.7Lowest 9% below NH |
40.1±3.7 7% below NH |
| Pembroke and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.9%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Pembroke and Allenstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±3.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Plaistow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.2% NH: 40.6% |
23.9% NH: 40.6% |
19.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
34.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6 NH: 6% |
0.7%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
| Pembroke and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,519±$22k 10% below NH |
$84,495±$12k 15% below NH |
$72,500±$21kLowest 27% below NH |
$108,317±$13kHighest 9% above NH |
| Plaistow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,500±$20k 8% below NH |
$272,300±$16k 32% below NH |
$243,600±$69kLowest 39% below NH |
$404,500±$32kHighest about the NH average |
| Plaistow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$354 18% below NH |
$1,198±$390Lowest 20% below NH |
$1,281±$397 14% below NH |
$1,664±$187Highest 12% above NH |
| Plaistow and Allenstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,589Highest 14% above NH |
$5,815 13% below NH |
$4,098Lowest 39% below NH |
$7,194 8% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±21.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±23.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
57.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
55.3%±16.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Hillsborough and Allenstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6% NH: 7.2% |
11.9% NH: 7.2% |
4.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.9% NH: 72.8% |
78.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 8% below NH |
41 minHighest 54% above NH |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
29 min 7% above NH |
| Work from home | 17%±4.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
14%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
13.6%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Pembroke and Hillsborough 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 | #85 of 120 in NH | #97 of 120 in NH | — | #66 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pembroke School District | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District | Allenstown School District | Timberlane Regional School District |
| High school in town | Pembroke Academy | Hillsboro-Deering High School | None in town | Timberlane Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
9.5Lowest |
— | 11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.