What stands out worked out from the figures below

Peterborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.1%).

Kensington has the highest household income ($165k).

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	Kensington
People
Population	6,408Highest	2,009Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.1%Highest NH: +4.6%	-1.4%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	52.1±1.9Highest 20% above NH	43.3±5.9Lowest about the NH average
Kids under 18	16.3%±5.1Lowest NH: 18.2%	17.1%±2.6Highest NH: 18.2%
	Kensington and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1%	18.8%±2.9Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	62.2%Highest NH: 40.6%	48.5%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%	3.4%±1.3Highest NH: 6%
	Kensington 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	$165,083±$18kHighest 67% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$404,500±$31kLowest about the NH average	$657,700±$47kHighest 63% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,395±$209Lowest 6% below NH	$1,813±$627Highest 22% above NH
	Kensington and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,655Lowest 30% above NH	$9,637Highest 45% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	29.2%±7.4Highest NH: 48.2%	24.4%±38.5Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Peterborough and Kensington 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%	1.9%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8%	92.9%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH	1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 16% below NH	29 minHighest 7% above NH
Work from home	15.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8%	19.2%±3.9Highest NH: 16.8%
	Kensington 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	—
School district	Contoocook Valley School District	Kensington 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.