Compare towns
Ashland vs Lyme 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 affordable homes ($227k median).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
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 | Lyme | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183 |
1,710Lowest |
4,969Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+6.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2 about the NH average |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
22.8±0.9Lowest 47% below 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% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest 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%±5.3 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
9.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme 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% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
63.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
42.5%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
$89,500±$32k 10% below NH |
| Lyme and Plymouth 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 |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$294,400±$28k 27% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,418±$130Highest 5% below NH |
$1,296±$295 13% below NH |
| Lyme 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,483 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±10.7Lowest 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% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
17% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1% NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
50.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 4% below NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
16 minLowest 39% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
10.5%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #47 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Ashland School District | Lyme School District | — |
| High school 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.