Compare towns
Thornton vs Henniker vs Waterville Valley
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 the youngest population (median age 31.1).
Waterville Valley has the most expensive homes ($563k median).
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 | Waterville Valley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,799 |
6,197Highest |
290Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 51.1±3.4 18% above NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
61.6±16.5Highest 42% above NH |
| Waterville Valley and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
8.6%±11.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Henniker and Thornton 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% |
43.1%±9.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.3% NH: 40.6% |
41.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
71.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.9 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
0.3%±4.3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,022±$17kLowest 9% below NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
$105,625±$50kHighest 7% above NH |
| Waterville Valley 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 |
$562,500±$193kHighest 40% above NH |
| Waterville Valley and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,270±$428Highest 15% below NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,150±$382 23% below NH |
| Thornton and Waterville Valley 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 |
$5,745 14% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±24.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
33.3%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Thornton and Henniker 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% |
6.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
81.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 15% below NH |
20 min 24% below NH |
14 minLowest 48% below NH |
| Work from home | 29.8%±9.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.7%±12.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Thornton and Waterville Valley 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 | — |
| School district | Thornton School District | Henniker School District | Waterville Valley 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.