Compare towns
Holderness vs Lee vs Ashland vs Madbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
Madbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Holderness | Lee | Ashland | Madbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
4,576Highest |
2,183 |
2,203 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
-6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
42.9±1.9Highest about the NH average |
42.3±11.2 about the NH average |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
| Lee and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
21.4%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
25.8%±5.3 NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Holderness and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
35.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.7 NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Lee and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
$148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
| Madbury and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60k 10% below NH |
$480,600±$61kHighest 19% above NH |
$227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
| Lee and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
— | $1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
| Holderness and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
$4,961 26% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
39.1%±14.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Ashland and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
21.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
28 minHighest about the NH average |
26 min 4% below NH |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.9%±4.6 NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #3 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Holderness School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Ashland School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.