Compare towns
Ashland vs Durham vs Milford
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).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Milford has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
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 | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183Lowest |
10,681 |
16,337Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2Highest about the NH average |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
36.8±2.5 15% below NH |
| Ashland and Milford 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% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Milford 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 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.1%±1.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.3 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
$112,070±$25kHighest 13% above NH |
$97,768±$14k about the NH average |
| Durham and Milford 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 |
$498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH |
$398,800±$20k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,302±$211 13% below NH |
$1,661±$126Highest 11% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961Lowest 26% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,522 13% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
49.6%±15.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Milford 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% |
12.4% NH: 7.2% |
3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #9 of 120 in NH | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Ashland School District | — | Milford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.