Compare towns
Holderness vs Middlesex 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 youngest population (median age 39.4).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Middlesex | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
1,943 |
2,183Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
42.3±11.2 9% above U.S. |
| Middlesex 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% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashland and Middlesex 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% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex 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. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Middlesex 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. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Holderness 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. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Holderness and Middlesex 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. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$4,961 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±14.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashland and Holderness 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% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Holderness School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Ashland School District |
| High school in town | None 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.