Compare towns
Peterborough vs Thornton 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).
Thornton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Temple has the youngest population (median age 49.5).
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 | Thornton | Temple |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,408Highest |
2,799 |
1,363Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% NH: +4.6% |
+8.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 52.1±1.9Highest 20% above NH |
51.1±3.4 18% above NH |
49.5±7.3Lowest 14% above NH |
| Peterborough and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±5.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.3%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Peterborough and Temple 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% |
19%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
17.8%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
46.3% NH: 40.6% |
36.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
1.7%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Thornton 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±$8kHighest about the NH average |
$90,022±$17kLowest 9% below NH |
$94,107±$15k 5% below NH |
| Peterborough and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $404,500±$31kHighest about the NH average |
$351,900±$20kLowest 13% below NH |
$401,000±$27k about the NH average |
| Peterborough and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$209Highest 6% below NH |
$1,270±$428 15% below NH |
$1,169±$523Lowest 22% below NH |
| Peterborough and Thornton 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 |
$5,032Lowest 25% below NH |
$6,983 5% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±7.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
57.7%±24.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
30.2%±54.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Thornton and Temple 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% |
9.2% NH: 7.2% |
9.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.2% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 16% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
37 minHighest 37% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
29.8%±9.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.9%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Thornton and Temple 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 | #18 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Thornton School District | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | Conval Regional High School | None in town | 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.