Compare towns
Lebanon vs Plymouth vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lebanon has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 22.8).
Ashland has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
Plymouth is a college town. 42.5% 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 | Plymouth | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,999Highest |
4,969 |
2,183Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.1% NH: +4.6% |
-6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.9±3.1 10% below NH |
22.8±0.9Lowest 47% below NH |
42.3±11.2Highest about the NH average |
| Ashland 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 NH: 18.2% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.4%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Ashland and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
9.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.8%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Ashland 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% NH: 40.6% |
63.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
35.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±2.6 NH: 6% |
42.5%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,147±$10kHighest about the NH average |
$89,500±$32k 10% below NH |
$54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
| Lebanon and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $385,400±$29kHighest 4% below NH |
$294,400±$28k 27% below NH |
$227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,744±$132Highest 17% above NH |
$1,296±$295 13% below NH |
$1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,149Highest 22% above NH |
$6,483 about the NH average |
$4,961Lowest 26% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±7.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±10.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Lebanon and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
17% NH: 7.2% |
21.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.2% NH: 72.8% |
50.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 48% below NH |
16 min 39% below NH |
26 minHighest 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.8%±4.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
10.5%±4 NH: 16.8% |
9.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #29 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Lebanon School District | — | Ashland School District |
| High school in town | Lebanon High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.