Compare towns
Ashland vs Newmarket vs Plymouth vs Wilder
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
Newmarket has the most expensive homes ($455k median).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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 | Newmarket | Plymouth | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,183Lowest |
9,463Highest |
6,601 |
3,087 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2 9% above U.S. |
41.2±1.9 6% above U.S. |
24.6±3.4Lowest 37% below U.S. |
45.5±8.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Wilder 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 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
13.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashland and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
12%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilder 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
49.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
54% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
33.7%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$100,845±$13kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$77,027±$26k 5% below U.S. |
$75,143±$9k 7% below U.S. |
| Newmarket 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 32% below U.S. |
$455,000±$22kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$292,400±$22k 12% below U.S. |
$273,200±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,671±$69Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,108±$255 22% below U.S. |
$1,142±$451 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961Lowest 59% above U.S. |
$8,734Highest 180% above U.S. |
$6,288 102% above U.S. |
$5,505 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±8.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Newmarket and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 7% above U.S. |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newmarket and Wilder 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 | — | #39 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Ashland School District | Newmarket School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | Plymouth Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.