Compare towns
Ashland vs Bath vs Lempster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has the most renters (35.9% rent).
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (0%).
Lempster has the highest household income ($87k).
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 | Ashland | Bath | Lempster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183Highest |
1,097 |
953Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
0%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-3.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2Lowest about the NH average |
48.6±8.6 12% above NH |
50.8±7.2Highest 17% above NH |
| Lempster and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
12.8%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Ashland and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±5.3 NH: 20.1% |
26.1%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
25.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bath and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
26.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
28.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 NH: 6% |
2.4%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Lempster and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
$67,813±$22k 32% below NH |
$86,607±$12kHighest 13% below NH |
| Lempster and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
$234,400±$23k 42% below NH |
$241,900±$29kHighest 40% below NH |
| Lempster and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,438±$309Highest 4% below NH |
— |
| Bath and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961Highest 26% below NH |
$4,413Lowest 34% below NH |
$4,558 32% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
5.9%±61.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
100%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Lempster and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
7.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
90.9% NH: 72.8% |
98.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
26 minLowest 4% below NH |
37 minHighest 40% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6 NH: 16.8% |
11.1%±3.2Highest NH: 16.8% |
5%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bath and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Ashland School District | Bath School District | Lempster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.