Compare towns
Peterborough vs Sutton 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).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Sharon has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
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 | Sutton | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,408Highest |
2,239 |
442Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 52.1±1.9Highest 20% above NH |
48.1±4.1Lowest 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% |
20.5%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±8.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Sharon and Sutton 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% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest 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% |
44.3% NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6Highest NH: 6% |
1.6%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Sutton 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 |
$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
$113,125±$19k 14% above NH |
| Sutton 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±$31k about the NH average |
$362,600±$16kLowest 10% below NH |
$475,900±$38kHighest 18% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$209Lowest 6% below NH |
$1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
$1,458±$1k about the NH average |
| Sutton and Sharon 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 |
$7,652Lowest 15% above NH |
$8,274 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±7.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
28.6%±100 NH: 48.2% |
| Peterborough and Sharon 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% |
4.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.1% 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 |
29 min 10% above NH |
32 minHighest 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.8%±4.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
11.2%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Peterborough and Sutton 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 | Kearsarge Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | Conval Regional High School | Kearsarge Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
10.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.