RANK #672 / 1001 NAT · POP 426,378
1YR FORECAST: +2.1%
5YR OUTLOOK: +16%
Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, is defined by its blend of urban centers and natural landscapes, with its two county seats, Manchester and Nashua, serving as the state's largest cities. Located in south-central New Hampshire, bordering Massachusetts, the county offers a commute to Boston that typically takes around 1 hour and 24 minutes by car. Residents have access to extensive outdoor recreation, including hiking trails at Mount Monadnock State Park, one of the most climbed mountains globally, and Miller State Park. The county's geography features a hilly upland region with rivers and numerous small lakes.
Life in Hillsborough County balances suburban and rural living, attracting families and commuters. The public school systems in towns like Bedford and Amherst are considered above average. While many residents drive alone to work, carpooling and bus services are available. The economy, historically rooted in manufacturing and healthcare, is working to diversify. Efforts are underway to attract new businesses and industries through incentives and infrastructure investment, aiming to broaden job opportunities beyond traditional sectors.
Hillsborough County is one of 110 U.S. counties in this market profile — weaker than typical on the BoomTown Index. Within this cohort, its recent home-price change of +2.3% matches the profile's typical +2.4%.
See all 110 Educated Suburban Growth counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Above national median
Moderate climate & terrain
Above national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 10.8x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: Homicide rates from CDC/NCHS vital-statistics mortality data — a multi-year average that stabilizes counts in smaller counties — compiled in the County Health Rankings 2025 release. Rates per 100,000 population; U.S. average ≈ 6.5. Grade reflects homicide rate relative to the national average. Learn more →
See where Hillsborough County stands nationally: safest large counties in America · highest homicide-rate counties.
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
At 32/100, Hillsborough County faces headwinds that place it in the lower third of the 1001 counties we track. Median income of $103,545 combined with job growth of -1.0% suggests the local economy is struggling to keep pace with national trends.
Hillsborough County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $421,100 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.25 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $1,623/month on average.
Population and employment in Hillsborough County are both close to flat — population +0.4% YoY and jobs -1.0%. Home values shifted +2.3% over the past 12 months. A steady-state county, neither expanding quickly nor shrinking.
Not particularly — 1.53% of Hillsborough County's population moved in from another state, which is below the national average. Most residents are long-term locals rather than recent transplants.