Compare towns
Ashland vs Holderness vs Lyme
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).
Holderness has the youngest population (median age 39.4).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
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 | Holderness | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183Highest |
1,917 |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2 about the NH average |
39.4±7.4Lowest 9% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
| Lyme 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% |
14.7%±9.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Ashland and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±5.3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Holderness and Lyme 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% |
55.7% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Lyme and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
$107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
| Lyme 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 |
$363,100±$60k 10% below NH |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
$2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961 26% below NH |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme 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% |
12.1% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6 NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Ashland School District | Holderness School District | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.