Compare towns
Ashland vs Durham vs Lebanon 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).
Durham has the most expensive homes ($504k median).
Lebanon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.6%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Lebanon | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,183Lowest |
15,080Highest |
14,999 |
6,601 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+8.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-4.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2Highest about the NH average |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
38.9±3.1 10% below NH |
24.6±3.4 43% below NH |
| Ashland and Lebanon 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% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.6%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
13.6%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Ashland and Lebanon 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% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.4%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
12%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Ashland and Lebanon 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% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
57.5% NH: 40.6% |
54% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.9%±2.6 NH: 6% |
33.7%±3.5 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$98,147±$10k about the NH average |
$77,027±$26k 22% below NH |
| 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 44% below NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$385,400±$29k 4% below NH |
$292,400±$22k 27% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,744±$132Highest 17% above NH |
$1,108±$255 26% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961Lowest 26% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,149 22% above NH |
$6,288 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.9%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 21.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
15.1% NH: 7.2% |
7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
18.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1% NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
56.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 4% below NH |
19 min 27% below NH |
14 minLowest 48% below NH |
18 min 31% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | #29 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Ashland School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Lebanon School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | Lebanon High School | Plymouth Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
11.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.