Compare towns
Ashland vs Dover vs Henniker vs Plymouth
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 kids (21.4% under 18).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($437k median).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Henniker is a college town. 27% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Dover | Henniker | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,183Lowest |
33,364Highest |
6,197 |
6,601 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-4.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2Highest about the NH average |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
31.1±6.1 28% below NH |
24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
| Ashland and Dover 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% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Ashland and Dover 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% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
54%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5 NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Plymouth and Henniker 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 |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$95,206±$21kHighest 4% below NH |
$77,027±$26k 22% below NH |
| Henniker and Dover 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 |
$436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
$356,700±$49k 11% below NH |
$292,400±$22k 27% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155 26% below NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,108±$255 26% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961Lowest 26% below NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
$6,288 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Henniker 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% |
8.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.6% NH: 7.2% |
18.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
56.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 4% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
20 min 24% below NH |
18 minLowest 31% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Henniker 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 | — | #64 of 120 in NH | #56 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Ashland School District | Dover School District | Henniker School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Plymouth Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| 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.