Peterborough, New Hampshire Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Peterborough is a small community located in New Hampshire, within Hillsborough County. The total population is 2,539. It ranks as the 41st most populous out of 100 Census-designated places in New Hampshire.

Age Demographics

The median age in Peterborough is 55.5 years. This is 28% higher than the state median of 43.3 years. Only 10.4% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 15.6% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Peterborough is $85,833. This is 13% lower than the state median of $99,031. It is also 6% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 3.2%. This is 56% lower than the state poverty rate of 7.2%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Peterborough, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $379,300. Housing costs are 6% lower than the state median of $402,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.4x. 56.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 22% lower than the state average of 72.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Peterborough has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 92.8% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 5.2%.

Education

57.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 41% higher than the state rate of 40.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 97.3%. Notably, 30.1% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Peterborough, New Hampshire is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against New Hampshire state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 100 Census-designated places in New Hampshire. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.