Compare towns
Durham vs Ashland vs Hartford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the most expensive homes ($498k median).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
Hartford has the most homeowners (67.8%).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% 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 | Durham | Ashland | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681 |
2,183Lowest |
10,736Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
42.3±11.2 9% above U.S. |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Hartford and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Ashland and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashland and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211Highest 8% below U.S. |
$1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
| Durham and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,961Lowest 59% above U.S. |
$5,773 85% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±14.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham and Hartford 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | — | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Ashland School District | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.6 |
| 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.