Compare towns
Peterborough vs Sharon vs Temple
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).
Sharon has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
Temple has the most people working from home (16.9%).
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 | Sharon | Temple |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,408Highest |
442Lowest |
1,363 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
— | +1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 52.1±1.9Highest 20% above NH |
49.4±11.2Lowest 14% above NH |
49.5±7.3 14% above NH |
| Peterborough and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±5.1 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±8.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.3%±3.5Lowest 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%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.8%±2.8Lowest 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% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
36.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1Highest NH: 6% |
1.6%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
1.7%±1.1 NH: 6% |
| Peterborough and Temple 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 |
$113,125±$19kHighest 14% above NH |
$94,107±$15kLowest 5% below 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±$31k about the NH average |
$475,900±$38kHighest 18% above NH |
$401,000±$27kLowest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$209 6% below NH |
$1,458±$1kHighest about the NH average |
$1,169±$523Lowest 22% below NH |
| 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 |
$8,274 24% above NH |
$6,983Lowest 5% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±7.4 NH: 48.2% |
28.6%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
30.2%±54.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Temple and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.2% NH: 7.2% |
9.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.2% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 16% below NH |
32 min 20% above NH |
37 minHighest 37% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.8%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
11.2%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.9%±5.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Temple 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 | — | Contoocook Valley 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 | 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.