What stands out worked out from the figures below

Peterborough has the most renters (43.3% rent).

Thornton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).

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	Peterborough	Thornton
People
Population	2,539Lowest	2,799Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.4%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+8.8%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	55.5±9.2Highest 28% above NH	51.1±3.4Lowest 18% above NH
	Peterborough and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	10.4%±4Lowest NH: 18.2%	13.9%±4.6Highest NH: 18.2%
	Thornton and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	35.1%±5.4Highest NH: 20.1%	19%±4.9Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.4%Highest NH: 40.6%	46.3%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6%	4.8%±2.9Highest NH: 6%
	Thornton and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,833±$15kLowest 13% below NH	$90,022±$17kHighest 9% below NH
	Thornton and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$379,300±$57kHighest 6% below NH	$351,900±$20kLowest 13% below NH
	Peterborough and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,515±$290Highest about the NH average	$1,270±$428Lowest 15% below NH
	Peterborough and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,422Highest 11% above NH	$5,032Lowest 25% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.9%±20.1Lowest NH: 48.2%	57.7%±24.7Highest NH: 48.2%
	Thornton and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.2%Lowest NH: 7.2%	9.2%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	56.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%	88.3%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 25 yrs older than NH	1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 7% below NH	23 minLowest 15% below NH
Work from home	16.1%±6.4Lowest NH: 16.8%	29.8%±9.7Highest NH: 16.8%
	Thornton and Peterborough 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	#59 of 120 in NH	#18 of 120 in NH
School district	—	Thornton School District
High school in town	—	None in town
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.