Compare towns
Temple vs Pelham vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Temple has the most affordable homes ($401k median).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Sharon has the most homeowners (93.1%).
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 | Pelham | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,363 |
14,449Highest |
442Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 49.5±7.3Highest 14% above NH |
41.5±2.7Lowest 4% below NH |
49.4±11.2 14% above NH |
| Temple and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±8.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Sharon and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
40% NH: 40.6% |
41.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.1 NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
1.6%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,107±$15kLowest 5% below NH |
$135,956±$19kHighest 37% above NH |
$113,125±$19k 14% above NH |
| Pelham and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $401,000±$27kLowest about the NH average |
$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
$475,900±$38k 18% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,169±$523Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,425±$88 4% below NH |
$1,458±$1kHighest about the NH average |
| Sharon and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,983Lowest 5% above NH |
$8,634Highest 30% above NH |
$8,274 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.2%±54.1 NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
28.6%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham 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 NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.7% NH: 72.8% |
93.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 37% above NH |
30 minLowest 10% above NH |
32 min 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.2%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Pelham 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 | — | #48 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Pelham School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Pelham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| 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.