Compare towns
Ashland vs Durham vs Hartford vs Lebanon
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).
Hartford has the most homeowners (67.8%).
Lebanon has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Hartford | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,183Lowest |
10,681 |
10,736 |
14,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2 9% above U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
38.9±3.1 about the U.S. average |
| Hartford 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% |
18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Ashland and Hartford 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% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashland and Hartford 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% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
$98,147±$10k 22% above U.S. |
| Durham and Lebanon 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±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$385,400±$29k 16% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,302±$211 8% below U.S. |
$1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
$1,744±$132Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961Lowest 59% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,773 85% above U.S. |
$8,149 161% 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% |
44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Hartford 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% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
17 min 35% below U.S. |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lebanon 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | #29 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Ashland School District | — | Hartford School District | Lebanon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Hartford High School | Lebanon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.6Lowest |
11.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.