Compare towns
Ashland vs Bristol vs Sutton
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).
Bristol has the most kids (24.3% under 18).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
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 | Bristol | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183Lowest |
3,273Highest |
2,239 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.2% NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2Lowest about the NH average |
42.7±5.7 about the NH average |
48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
| Sutton and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
24.3%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bristol and Ashland 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% |
23.2%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Ashland and Bristol 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% |
35.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2 NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Sutton and Bristol 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 |
$78,438±$10k 21% below NH |
$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
$258,300±$63k 36% below NH |
$362,600±$16kHighest 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,310±$97 12% below NH |
$1,656±$614Highest 11% above NH |
| Sutton and Bristol 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 |
$4,162Lowest 38% below NH |
$7,652Highest 15% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±14.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Bristol 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% |
10.3% NH: 7.2% |
4.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.7% NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 4% below NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
29 minHighest 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Sutton and Bristol 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 | Newfound Area School District | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Newfound Regional High School | Kearsarge Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.