Compare towns
Ashland vs Brookline vs Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Bennington has the most kids (26% under 18).
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 | Brookline | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183Highest |
531Lowest |
1,588 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2 9% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
42.1±7.8Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
20%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashland and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline 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 32% below U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$83,875±$7kHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Bennington and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$290,700±$37kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$267,300±$15k 20% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,292±$150 9% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961Lowest 59% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
$5,944Highest 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.2%±20.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brookline 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Ashland School District | — | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.