Compare towns
Marlborough vs Hanover 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 kids (23.5% under 18).
Hanover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.4%).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | Marlborough | Hanover | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,207 |
11,685Highest |
2,183Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46±9.2Highest 6% above NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
42.3±11.2 about the NH average |
| Marlborough and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±5.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.4%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Marlborough and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.8%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Ashland and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.5% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
35.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,032±$9k 30% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,200±$35k 34% below NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$323 24% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,362 5% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$4,961Lowest 26% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±25.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
39.1%±14.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2% NH: 7.2% |
5.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
21.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.1% NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 21% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
26 minHighest 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 12.3%±6.7 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #1 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Marlborough School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Ashland School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hanover High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.