Compare towns
Ashland vs Ryegate vs Bennington
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 renters (35.9% rent).
Ryegate has the most homeowners (84.7%).
Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.7%).
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 | Ryegate | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183Highest |
1,059Lowest |
1,588 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2Highest 9% above U.S. |
41.2±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
42.1±7.8 8% above U.S. |
| Ashland and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Ryegate 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% |
22.1%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashland and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington 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 32% below U.S. |
$66,484±$15k 18% below U.S. |
$83,875±$7kHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Bennington and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,000±$29k 32% below U.S. |
$219,300±$32kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$267,300±$15kHighest 20% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155 22% below U.S. |
$908±$236Lowest 36% below U.S. |
$1,292±$150Highest 9% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961 59% above U.S. |
$3,472Lowest 11% above U.S. |
$5,944Highest 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±29.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.2%±20.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ryegate 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
14.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1949Lowest 31 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bennington and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Ashland School District | — | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.