Compare towns
Pembroke vs Hillsborough vs Plymouth
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 kids (24% under 18).
Hillsborough has the most homeowners (92.3%).
Plymouth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Plymouth is a college town. 42.5% 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 | Pembroke | Hillsborough | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,438Highest |
5,980 |
4,969Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3% NH: +4.6% |
-1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.3Highest 3% below NH |
40.9±4.6 6% below NH |
22.8±0.9Lowest 47% 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%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Pembroke and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±3.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±3.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
9.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.2% NH: 40.6% |
23.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
63.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
42.5%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,519±$22kHighest 10% below NH |
$84,495±$12kLowest 15% below NH |
$89,500±$32k 10% below NH |
| Pembroke and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,500±$20kHighest 8% below NH |
$272,300±$16kLowest 32% below NH |
$294,400±$28k 27% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$354 18% below NH |
$1,198±$390Lowest 20% below NH |
$1,296±$295Highest 13% below NH |
| Plymouth and Pembroke 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 |
$5,815Lowest 13% below NH |
$6,483 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±21.8 NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±23.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±10.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hillsborough and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15% NH: 7.2% |
6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
17%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.4% NH: 72.8% |
92.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
50.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1974Highest 5 yrs older than NH |
1971 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 8% below NH |
41 minHighest 54% above NH |
16 minLowest 39% below NH |
| Work from home | 17%±4.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
14%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
10.5%±4Lowest 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 | #47 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pembroke School District | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | Pembroke Academy | Hillsboro-Deering High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
9.5Lowest |
— |
| 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.