The Town FilesJaffrey, New Hampshire
Town in Cheshire County · population 5,320 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $245,500
- Household income
- $92,330
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 73 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 42.9
Jaffrey is a town of 5,320 people in Cheshire County, New Hampshire. The median home is worth $245,500, below the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). It ranks better for cycling than 95% of New Hampshire towns, more of a college town than 80% of New Hampshire towns, more walkable than 79% of New Hampshire towns.
How Jaffrey ranks
Percentile among New Hampshire towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Hampshire towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Jaffrey is worth $245,500, below the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $92,330, which is more affordable than 97% of New Hampshire towns. Median rent is $962 a month. 81.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Jaffrey | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $245,500 | $357,650 |
| Median rent | $962 | $1,285 |
| Median household income | $92,330 | $94,107 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 81.8% | 82.1% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.9% | — |
Who lives in Jaffrey
| People | Jaffrey | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.9 | 46.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.5% | 22.3% |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.2% | 36.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.8% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.5% | — |
| Work from home | 7.5% | 14.2% |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.2% | 92.5% |
Weather in Jaffrey
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 13.1°F. About 48.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 72.5 inches of snow (typical New Hampshire town: 67.7 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 150 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jaffrey since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New Hampshire town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 6, 1969 about 8.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 23, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 30, 2021.
Severe weather in Cheshire County since 1996
Cheshire County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4740: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| October 4, 2021 | Flood | DR-4624: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 30, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4622: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4516: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3445: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Cheshire County
Cheshire County had 31,134 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,392 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Jaffrey itself the ACS puts it at 5.1%.
Public schools in Jaffrey
3 public schools with 909 students.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conant Middle High School (H) | 9-12 | 368 | — |
| Jaffrey Grade School | PK-5 | 284 | — |
| Conant Middle High School (M) | 6-8 | 257 | — |
Towns near Jaffrey
- Jaffrey, NH2.2 mi · 3,058 people · home $217,700
- Rindge, NH5.5 mi · 6,476 people · home $415,400
- Peterborough, NH6.0 mi · 3,090 people · home $379,300
- Peterborough, NH7.3 mi · 6,418 people · home $404,500
- Winchendon, MA10.3 mi · 4,160 people · home $276,300
- New Ipswich, NH11.0 mi · 5,204 people · home $392,400
- Winchendon, MA11.1 mi · 10,364 people · home $323,800
- Swanzey, NH12.1 mi · 7,270 people · home $259,200
Jaffrey questions
Is Jaffrey, New Hampshire a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Jaffrey scores better for retirees than 29% of New Hampshire towns and quieter than 19%. 18.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.9).
How much does a house cost in Jaffrey?
The median owner-occupied home in Jaffrey is valued at $245,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $92,330, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $962 a month.
What is the weather like in Jaffrey?
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 13.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.3 inches of precipitation a year and 72.5 inches of snow.
Does Jaffrey get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jaffrey since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 6, 1969. The typical New Hampshire town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)