Compare towns
Ashland vs Dover vs Holderness vs Madbury
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).
Dover has the most people working from home (18.6%).
Holderness has the most homeowners (83.7%).
Madbury has the highest household income ($148k).
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 | Holderness | Madbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,183 |
33,364Highest |
1,917Lowest |
2,203 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+8.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2Highest about the NH average |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
37.7±2.1 13% below NH |
| Ashland and Holderness 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% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Ashland 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% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Holderness 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
55.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Dover and Madbury 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 |
$107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
| Madbury and Holderness 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±$20k 8% above NH |
$363,100±$60k 10% below NH |
$476,900±$31kHighest 18% above NH |
| Madbury and Dover 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 |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
| Holderness and Dover 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 |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2 NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Dover 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% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
12.1% NH: 7.2% |
4.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Madbury 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 | — | — |
| School district | Ashland School District | Dover School District | Holderness School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— | — |
| 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.