Compare towns
Marlborough vs Bath 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
Marlborough has the most people working from home (14.2%).
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (0%).
Ashland has the youngest population (median age 42.3).
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 | Marlborough | Bath | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,048Lowest |
1,097 |
2,183Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6% NH: +4.6% |
0%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 47.6±11.7 10% above NH |
48.6±8.6Highest 12% above NH |
42.3±11.2Lowest about the NH average |
| Bath and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±6.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
21.4%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Ashland and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26.1%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
25.8%±5.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Bath and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
26.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
35.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
2.4%±2 NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Ashland and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,356±$10k 32% below NH |
$67,813±$22kHighest 32% below NH |
$54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
| Bath and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $261,700±$44kHighest 35% below NH |
$234,400±$23k 42% below NH |
$227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
| Marlborough and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $973±$153Lowest 35% below NH |
$1,438±$309Highest 4% below NH |
$1,096±$155 26% below NH |
| Bath and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,076Highest 9% below NH |
$4,413Lowest 34% below NH |
$4,961 26% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±17.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
5.9%±61.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Marlborough and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
21.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
90.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1943Lowest 36 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
26 minHighest 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.2%±10.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.1%±3.2 NH: 16.8% |
9.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Marlborough and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Bath 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 |
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.