Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Ashland vs Bristol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittsfield has the most renters (55.9% rent).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
Bristol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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 | Pittsfield | Ashland | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,744Lowest |
2,183 |
3,273Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4% NH: +4.6% |
-6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±4.9Lowest 5% below NH |
42.3±11.2 about the NH average |
42.7±5.7Highest about the NH average |
| Bristol and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±7.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.4%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
24.3%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bristol and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±7.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.8%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
23.2%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Ashland and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
35.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
35.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±4.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2 NH: 6% |
| Pittsfield and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,144±$20k 39% below NH |
$54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
$78,438±$10kHighest 21% below NH |
| Bristol and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,100±$47kHighest 32% below NH |
$227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
$258,300±$63k 36% below NH |
| Pittsfield and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,236±$216 17% below NH |
$1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,310±$97Highest 12% below NH |
| Bristol and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,864 27% below NH |
$4,961Highest 26% below NH |
$4,162Lowest 38% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66%±30.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
39.1%±14.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±14.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Pittsfield and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.6% NH: 7.2% |
21.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
10.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 44.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.1% NH: 72.8% |
69.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 27 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 4% below NH |
26 minLowest 4% below NH |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 7.7%±6.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
9.9%±4.6 NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±5.2Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Bristol and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #93 of 120 in NH | — | #79 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Ashland School District | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Newfound Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
| 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.