Compare towns
Springfield vs Peterborough 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
Springfield has the most homeowners (90.7%).
Peterborough has the most renters (43.7% rent).
Thornton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Springfield | Peterborough | Thornton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,122Lowest |
6,408Highest |
2,799 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.1% NH: +4.6% |
+8.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 51.4±8.8 19% above NH |
52.1±1.9Highest 20% above NH |
51.1±3.4Lowest 18% above NH |
| Peterborough and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±8 NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±5.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Peterborough and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
30.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
19%±4.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
46.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.9Highest 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 | $100,893±$19kHighest about the NH average |
$98,401±$8k about the NH average |
$90,022±$17kLowest 9% below NH |
| Springfield and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $384,100±$50k 5% below NH |
$404,500±$31kHighest about the NH average |
$351,900±$20kLowest 13% below NH |
| Peterborough and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$217Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,395±$209Highest 6% below NH |
$1,270±$428 15% 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 | $5,946 11% below NH |
$8,655Highest 30% above NH |
$5,032Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.9%±64.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
29.2%±7.4 NH: 48.2% |
57.7%±24.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Thornton and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.7% NH: 7.2% |
9.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 29% above NH |
23 minLowest 16% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 16.7%±11.6 NH: 16.8% |
15.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
29.8%±9.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Thornton and Springfield 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 |
| 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.