Compare towns
Temple vs Harvard vs Peterborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Temple has the most affordable homes ($401k median).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Peterborough has the most renters (43.7% rent).
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 | Temple | Harvard | Peterborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,363Lowest |
6,927Highest |
6,408 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.5±7.3 27% above U.S. |
44.1±4.7Lowest 13% above U.S. |
52.1±1.9Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Peterborough and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Harvard and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Harvard and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,107±$15kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$98,401±$8k 22% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $401,000±$27kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
$404,500±$31k 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,169±$523Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,321±$424 7% below U.S. |
$1,395±$209Highest about the U.S. average |
| Peterborough and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,983Lowest 124% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,655 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.2%±54.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Harvard and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #12 of 282 in MA | #59 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Harvard | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | The Bromfield High School | Conval Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.0Lowest |
12.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.