Compare towns
Temple vs Thornton vs Wilton
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 expensive homes ($401k median).
Thornton has the most people working from home (29.8%).
Wilton has the highest household income ($114k).
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 | Thornton | Wilton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,363Lowest |
2,799 |
3,960Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 49.5±7.3 14% above NH |
51.1±3.4Highest 18% above NH |
46.8±5.2Lowest 8% above NH |
| Thornton and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.9%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Temple and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
22%±6.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Wilton and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
36.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
4.5%±2.4 NH: 6% |
| Thornton and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,107±$15k 5% below NH |
$90,022±$17kLowest 9% below NH |
$114,349±$21kHighest 15% above NH |
| Wilton and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $401,000±$27kHighest about the NH average |
$351,900±$20kLowest 13% below NH |
$381,500±$23k 5% below NH |
| Temple and Wilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,169±$523Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,270±$428 15% below NH |
$1,382±$70Highest 7% below NH |
| Wilton and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,983 5% above NH |
$5,032Lowest 25% below NH |
$7,612Highest 14% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.2%±54.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
57.7%±24.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
47.1%±39.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Thornton and Wilton 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% |
9.2% NH: 7.2% |
3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2% NH: 72.8% |
88.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
77%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 37% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
30 min 12% above NH |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
29.8%±9.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.7%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Thornton 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 | — | #18 of 120 in NH | #54 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Thornton School District | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Wilton-Lyndeboro Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.1 |
| 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.