Compare towns
Peterborough vs Hampton Beach 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 affordable homes ($405k median).
Hampton Beach has the most people working from home (26.9%).
Sharon has the most homeowners (93.1%).
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 | Hampton Beach | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,408Highest |
2,605 |
442Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 52.1±1.9 20% above NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
49.4±11.2Lowest 14% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±5.1 NH: 18.2% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±8.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Sharon and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.6%±5.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Sharon 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% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1Highest NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
1.6%±3 NH: 6% |
| Peterborough and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,401±$8k about the NH average |
$82,557±$17kLowest 17% below NH |
$113,125±$19kHighest 14% above NH |
| Sharon and Peterborough 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 |
$508,900±$76kHighest 26% above NH |
$475,900±$38k 18% above NH |
| Hampton Beach 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 |
$1,375±$130Lowest 8% 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 |
$6,115Lowest 8% below NH |
$8,274 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±7.4 NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
28.6%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
62.9% NH: 72.8% |
93.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
1971 8 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 16% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
32 minHighest 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.8%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.2%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #59 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | — | — |
| High school in town | Conval Regional High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0 |
— | — |
| 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.