Compare towns
Weare vs Hillsborough vs Gilford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Weare has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Hillsborough has the most affordable homes ($265k median).
Gilford has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Weare | Hillsborough | Gilford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,170Highest |
1,616Lowest |
7,830 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.6±4Lowest 5% above NH |
49.9±16Highest 15% above NH |
48.2±3.9 11% above NH |
| Hillsborough and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.2%±5.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Weare and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
32.7%±7.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.2% NH: 40.6% |
16.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
2%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Weare and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,271±$17kHighest 19% above NH |
$49,205±$28kLowest 50% below NH |
$116,635±$11k 18% above NH |
| Weare and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $396,300±$26k about the NH average |
$265,200±$51kLowest 34% below NH |
$456,500±$56kHighest 13% above NH |
| Gilford and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,541±$214Highest 3% above NH |
$1,138±$201Lowest 24% below NH |
$1,150±$747 23% below NH |
| Weare and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,272Highest 6% below NH |
$5,437 18% below NH |
$4,868Lowest 27% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±24.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
64.8%±22.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±8.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hillsborough and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1944Lowest 35 yrs older than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 34% above NH |
41 minHighest 55% above NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
10.2%±7.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.9%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Weare and Gilford 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 | #84 of 120 in NH | #97 of 120 in NH | #45 of 120 in NH |
| School district | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District | — | Gilford School District |
| High school in town | John Stark Regional High School | — | Gilford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 11.5Highest |
| 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.