Compare towns
Ashland vs Keene 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).
Keene has the most people working from home (15.6%).
Plymouth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Plymouth is a college town. 42.5% 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 | Keene | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183Lowest |
22,939Highest |
4,969 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5% NH: +4.6% |
+6.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2Highest about the NH average |
37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
22.8±0.9Lowest 47% below NH |
| Ashland and Keene 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% |
14.1%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Ashland and Keene 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% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
9.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Ashland and Keene 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% |
44.1% NH: 40.6% |
63.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4 NH: 6% |
42.5%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
$78,445±$8k 21% below NH |
$89,500±$32kHighest 10% below NH |
| Plymouth and Keene 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 |
$252,500±$12k 37% below NH |
$294,400±$28kHighest 27% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,342±$68Highest 10% below NH |
$1,296±$295 13% below NH |
| Keene and Plymouth 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 |
$6,812Highest about the NH average |
$6,483 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±10.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Keene 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% |
10.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
17% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.1% NH: 72.8% |
50.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1971 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 4% below NH |
17 min 36% below NH |
16 minLowest 39% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
10.5%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Keene and Plymouth 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 | — | #81 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Ashland School District | Keene School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Keene High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— |
| 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.