Hillsborough County vs Merrimack County
Hillsborough County, New Hampshire versus Merrimack County, New Hampshire: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Hillsborough County and Merrimack County score about the same overall (51 vs 53 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hillsborough County | Merrimack County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $95k | $89k |
| Cost of Living | $54k | $50k |
| Home Value | $356k | $298k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.88% | 2.16% |
| Income Tax | 0.04% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 7.06% | 7.24% |
| Unemployment | 3.7% | 3.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 23°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 71°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.9 in | 45.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 57.8 in | 67.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 229 days | 217 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 60°F |
| Comfortable Days | 91 days | 84 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 89.8 | 78.2 |
| Air Quality | 39 AQI | 39 AQI |
| School Quality | 76.1 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1173/100k | 1044/100k |
| Property Crime | 1174/100k | 810/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 422,733 | 153,918 |
| Median Age | 40.9 | 42.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.27 | 0.15 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 81.9% | 91.1% |
| Black (%) | 2.2% | 1.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.7% | 2.5% |
| Asian (%) | 4.2% | 1.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.0% | 3.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 7.3/20 | 6.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 52 mi | 73 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.8% | 90.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.14 | 0.78 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hillsborough County or Merrimack County more affordable?
- Merrimack County has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Hillsborough County's $54k and Merrimack County's $50k. Median rent is $1k in Hillsborough County versus $1k in Merrimack County.
- Is Hillsborough County or Merrimack County safer?
- Merrimack County has the lower violent crime rate. Hillsborough County reports 1173/100k and Merrimack County reports 1044/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hillsborough County or Merrimack County?
- The median home value is $356k in Hillsborough County and $298k in Merrimack County, so homes are more affordable in Merrimack County.