What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plaistow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).

Hillsborough has the most affordable homes ($272k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Plaistow	Hillsborough
People
Population	7,861Highest	5,980Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.9%Highest NH: +4.6%	-1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	40.1±3.7Lowest 7% below NH	40.9±4.6Highest 6% below NH
	Hillsborough and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.8%±4.3Highest NH: 18.2%	17.4%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Plaistow and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.4%±3.7Highest NH: 20.1%	16.4%±3.9Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Plaistow and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.9%Highest NH: 40.6%	23.9%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.3%±1.4Highest NH: 6%	2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6%
	Plaistow and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$108,317±$13kHighest 9% above NH	$84,495±$12kLowest 15% below NH
	Plaistow and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$404,500±$32kHighest about the NH average	$272,300±$16kLowest 32% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,664±$187Highest 12% above NH	$1,198±$390Lowest 20% below NH
	Plaistow and Hillsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,194Highest 8% above NH	$5,815Lowest 13% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.3%±16.9Lowest NH: 48.2%	61.7%±23.1Highest NH: 48.2%
	Hillsborough and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.5%Lowest NH: 7.2%	6%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.1%Lowest NH: 72.8%	92.3%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 1 yr older than NH	1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 7% above NH	41 minHighest 54% above NH
Work from home	13.6%±4Lowest NH: 16.8%	14%±5.2Highest NH: 16.8%
	Hillsborough and Plaistow 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	#66 of 120 in NH	#97 of 120 in NH
School district	Timberlane Regional School District	Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District
High school in town	Timberlane Regional High School	Hillsboro-Deering High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Highest	9.5Lowest
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.