Compare towns
Plymouth vs Sutton vs Thornton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Sutton has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
Thornton has the most people working from home (29.8%).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Plymouth | Sutton | Thornton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,601Highest |
2,239Lowest |
2,799 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
+8.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
48.1±4.1 11% above NH |
51.1±3.4Highest 18% above NH |
| Thornton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.9%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Sutton and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
19%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Sutton and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
$90,022±$17k 9% below NH |
| Sutton and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$362,600±$16kHighest 10% below NH |
$351,900±$20k 13% below NH |
| Sutton and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
$1,270±$428 15% below NH |
| Sutton and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,288 6% below NH |
$7,652Highest 15% above NH |
$5,032Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.8%±11.6 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
57.7%±24.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Thornton and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
9.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
88.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 31% below NH |
29 minHighest 10% above NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
29.8%±9.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Thornton 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 | #47 of 120 in NH | — | #18 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Thornton School District |
| High school in town | Plymouth Regional High School | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
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.