Compare towns
Ashland vs Durham vs Newington
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 most people working from home (19.4%).
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k median).
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 | Newington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183 |
15,080Highest |
939Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2 about the NH average |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
48.7±10.1Highest 12% above NH |
| Newington 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 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
15.7%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Ashland and Newington 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% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
28%±11Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Newington 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% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
62.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$145,833±$46kHighest 47% above NH |
| Newington and Durham 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±$41k 25% above NH |
$861,600±$46kHighest 114% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
| Newington and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961Lowest 26% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,081 9% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
62.9%±44 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Newington 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% |
15.1% NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
86.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 4% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
23 min 13% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
8%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Ashland School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Newington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.