Compare towns
Lyme vs Henniker 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
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($645k median).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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 | Lyme | Henniker | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,710Lowest |
6,197Highest |
2,183 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
42.3±11.2 about the NH average |
| Lyme and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.4%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Ashland and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.8%±5.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
35.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
$54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$356,700±$49k 11% below NH |
$227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130Highest 5% below NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,096±$155 26% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,877 33% above NH |
$4,961Lowest 26% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
39.1%±14.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.6% NH: 7.2% |
21.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
64.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 22% below NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
26 minHighest 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
9.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #56 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Lyme School District | Henniker School District | Ashland School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.