Compare towns
Ashland vs Henniker vs Holderness vs Weare
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).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Weare has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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 | Henniker | Holderness | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,183 |
6,197 |
1,917Lowest |
9,170Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+3.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2 about the NH average |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
45.6±4Highest 5% above NH |
| Weare and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Weare and Ashland 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% |
16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Holderness 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% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
55.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
$107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$118,271±$17kHighest 19% above NH |
| Weare and Holderness 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 |
$356,700±$49k 11% below NH |
$363,100±$60k 10% below NH |
$396,300±$26kHighest about the NH average |
| Weare and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155 26% below NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,541±$214 3% above NH |
| Holderness and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961 26% below NH |
$8,877Highest 33% above NH |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$6,272 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Weare and Henniker 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% |
11.6% NH: 7.2% |
12.1% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
83.7% NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Weare and Henniker 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 | — | #56 of 120 in NH | — | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Ashland School District | Henniker School District | Holderness School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | John Stark Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.