Compare towns
Thornton vs Henniker vs Chesterfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Thornton has the most people working from home (29.8%).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Chesterfield has the most kids (21.5% under 18).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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 | Thornton | Henniker | Chesterfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,799Lowest |
6,197Highest |
3,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 51.1±3.4Highest 18% above NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
46.8±8.7 8% above NH |
| Thornton and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
21.5%±5.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Chesterfield and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
28.8%±7.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Chesterfield and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.9 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,022±$17kLowest 9% below NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
$102,370±$40kHighest 3% above NH |
| Chesterfield and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $351,900±$20kLowest 13% below NH |
$356,700±$49k 11% below NH |
$373,500±$33kHighest 7% below NH |
| Chesterfield and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,270±$428 15% below NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,324±$1kHighest 11% below NH |
| Chesterfield and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,032Lowest 25% below NH |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
$6,344 5% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±24.7 NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
83.7%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Chesterfield and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.2% NH: 7.2% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 29.8%±9.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.9%±6.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Thornton and Chesterfield 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 | #56 of 120 in NH | #52 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Thornton School District | Henniker School District | Chesterfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.