What stands out worked out from the figures below

Peterborough has the most renters (43.7% rent).

Harrisville has the most homeowners (94.3%).

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	Harrisville
People
Population	6,408Highest	885Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.1%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+2.4%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	52.1±1.9Lowest 20% above NH	58.9±5.5Highest 36% above NH
	Harrisville and Peterborough 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%	16.4%±6.5Highest NH: 18.2%
	Harrisville 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%	35.8%±10.5Highest NH: 20.1%
	Harrisville 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%	54.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2%±1.1Highest NH: 6%	1.7%±1.2Lowest NH: 6%
	Peterborough and Harrisville 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	$103,036±$13kHighest 4% above NH
	Harrisville 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	$430,500±$48kHighest 7% above NH
	Harrisville and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,395±$209Lowest 6% below NH	$1,611±$367Highest 8% above NH
	Harrisville 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	$5,329Lowest 20% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	29.2%±7.4Lowest NH: 48.2%	35%±90.4Highest NH: 48.2%
	Harrisville and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Highest NH: 7.2%	3.6%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8%	94.3%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Highest 9 yrs older than NH	1965Lowest 14 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 16% below NH	27 minHighest about the NH average
Work from home	15.8%±4.5Highest NH: 16.8%	13.4%±5.8Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Peterborough and Harrisville 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	—
School district	Contoocook Valley School District	Harrisville 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 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.