Compare towns
Peterborough vs Dunbarton vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peterborough has the most renters (43.7% rent).
Dunbarton has the highest household income ($124k).
Sharon has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Peterborough | Dunbarton | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,408Highest |
3,097 |
442Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 52.1±1.9Highest 20% above NH |
48±3.7Lowest 11% above NH |
49.4±11.2 14% above NH |
| Peterborough and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±5.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±8.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Sharon and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.6%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Sharon and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Highest NH: 6% |
1.6%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Dunbarton and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,401±$8kLowest about the NH average |
$124,348±$21kHighest 26% above NH |
$113,125±$19k 14% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,500±$31kLowest about the NH average |
$484,100±$33kHighest 20% above NH |
$475,900±$38k 18% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$209 6% below NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,458±$1kHighest about the NH average |
| Sharon and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,655Highest 30% above NH |
$8,233Lowest 23% above NH |
$8,274 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±7.4 NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
28.6%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Dunbarton and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% NH: 7.2% |
3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 16% below NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
32 min 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.8%±4.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4 NH: 16.8% |
11.2%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Peterborough and Dunbarton 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 | #33 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Dunbarton School District | — |
| High school in town | Conval Regional High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.