Compare towns
Lebanon vs New Ipswich vs Plymouth 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
Lebanon has the most people working from home (22.8%).
New Ipswich has the most kids (29.9% under 18).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Hartford has the oldest population (median age 43.2).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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 | Lebanon | New Ipswich | Plymouth | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,999Highest |
5,310Lowest |
6,601 |
10,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±3.1 about the U.S. average |
36.9±2.4 5% below U.S. |
24.6±3.4Lowest 37% below U.S. |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Hartford and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
29.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
12%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartford and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
33.7%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,147±$10k 22% above U.S. |
$110,507±$9kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$77,027±$26kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
| New Ipswich and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $385,400±$29k 16% above U.S. |
$392,400±$31kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$292,400±$22kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
| New Ipswich and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,744±$132Highest 23% above U.S. |
$882±$469Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,108±$255 22% below U.S. |
$1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,149Highest 161% above U.S. |
$5,647Lowest 81% above U.S. |
$6,288 102% above U.S. |
$5,773 85% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±41.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| New Ipswich and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #29 of 120 in NH | #82 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Lebanon School District | Mascenic Regional School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | Lebanon High School | Mascenic Regional High School | Plymouth Regional High School | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7 |
11.7 |
12.8Highest |
9.6Lowest |
| 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.