Compare towns
Ashland vs Durham vs Eliot
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).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Eliot has the most homeowners (79.8%).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% 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 | Durham | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183Lowest |
10,681Highest |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2 9% above U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Ashland and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
| Durham and Eliot 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. |
$498,000±$45k 50% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Durham 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. |
$1,302±$211 8% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961 59% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Eliot 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% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Eliot and Durham 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ashland School District | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.