Compare towns
Ashland vs Bennington vs Marlborough vs Bristol
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 affordable homes ($227k median).
Bennington has the most people working from home (14.7%).
Marlborough has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Bristol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | Bennington | Marlborough | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,183 |
1,588Lowest |
2,207 |
3,273Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+1.6% NH: +4.6% |
+6.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2 about the NH average |
42.1±7.8Lowest about the NH average |
46±9.2Highest 6% above NH |
42.7±5.7 about the NH average |
| Marlborough and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
23.5%±5.7 NH: 18.2% |
24.3%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Bennington and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
23.7%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
23.2%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Ashland and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% NH: 40.6% |
33.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
39.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
35.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.3 NH: 6% |
1.5%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2Highest NH: 6% |
| Bristol and Bennington 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 |
$83,875±$7kHighest 15% below NH |
$69,032±$9k 30% below NH |
$78,438±$10k 21% below NH |
| Bennington and Bristol 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 |
$267,300±$15kHighest 34% below NH |
$267,200±$35k 34% below NH |
$258,300±$63k 36% below NH |
| Bennington and Marlborough 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 |
$1,292±$150 13% below NH |
$1,133±$323 24% below NH |
$1,310±$97Highest 12% below NH |
| Bristol and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961 26% below NH |
$5,944 11% below NH |
$6,362Highest 5% below NH |
$4,162Lowest 38% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
37.2%±20.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±25.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±14.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Marlborough and Bristol 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% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
13.2% NH: 7.2% |
10.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
74.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
68.1% NH: 72.8% |
69.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
37 minHighest 38% above NH |
21 minLowest 21% below NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.7%±4.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.3%±6.7 NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
| Bennington and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #79 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Ashland School District | Contoocook Valley School District | Marlborough School District | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Newfound Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.