Compare towns
Holderness vs South Berwick 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%).
South Berwick has the most people working from home (13.9%).
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 | South Berwick | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
3,381Highest |
2,183 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.4±6.2 6% above U.S. |
42.3±11.2Highest 9% above U.S. |
| Ashland and South Berwick 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% |
21.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick 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% |
15.6%±3.9Lowest 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% |
47.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| South Berwick 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±$45kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$90,972±$22k 13% above U.S. |
$54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Holderness and South Berwick 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. |
$396,700±$66kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| South Berwick 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. |
$1,702±$76 20% above U.S. |
$1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Holderness and South Berwick 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. |
$4,523 45% above U.S. |
$4,961Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±30.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Berwick 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±9.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| South Berwick and Ashland 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 | — | #58 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Holderness School District | — | Ashland School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.