Compare towns
Ashland vs Hanover vs Bridgewater
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).
Hanover has the most people working from home (26.4%).
Bridgewater has the oldest population (median age 58.3).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | Hanover | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183 |
11,685Highest |
1,169Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+7.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2 about the NH average |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH |
| Bridgewater 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% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
10.8%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Ashland and Hanover 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% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.1%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$82,361±$9k 17% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$398,600±$65k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,125±$201 25% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961 26% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Ashland 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% |
5.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
79.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #1 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Ashland School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hanover High School | None in town |
| 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.