Compare towns
Holderness vs Madbury vs Eliot vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holderness has the most homeowners (83.7%).
Madbury has the highest household income ($148k).
Eliot has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
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 | Madbury | Eliot | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
2,203 |
7,146Highest |
2,183 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 about the U.S. average |
37.7±2.1Lowest 3% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
42.3±11.2 9% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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 U.S.: 22% |
29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Madbury and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Holderness and Eliot 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
52.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Madbury and Ashland 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 34% above U.S. |
$148,365±$30kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Madbury and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60k 9% above U.S. |
$476,900±$31k 43% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Eliot 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 46% above U.S. |
$1,574±$759 11% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Holderness and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$4,961 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Eliot and Madbury 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 | — | — | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Holderness School District | Oyster River Coop School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Ashland 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 | 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.