Compare towns
Ashland vs Norwich vs Plymouth
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 affordable homes ($227k median).
Norwich has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
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 | Norwich | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183Lowest |
3,640 |
6,601Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2Highest 9% above U.S. |
40.8±3.2 5% above U.S. |
24.6±3.4Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Ashland and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Norwich and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
12%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
33.7%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$140,313±$12kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$77,027±$26k 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$637,500±$76kHighest 92% above U.S. |
$292,400±$22k 12% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,460±$322Highest 3% above U.S. |
$1,108±$255 22% below U.S. |
| Norwich and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961Lowest 59% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,288 102% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.8%±11.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashland and Plymouth 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% |
2.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #1 of 70 in VT | #47 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Ashland School District | Norwich School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Plymouth Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.