Compare towns
Plymouth vs Ashland vs Hartford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 22.8).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
Hartford has the most people working from home (13.9%).
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 | Plymouth | Ashland | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,969 |
2,183Lowest |
10,736Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 22.8±0.9Lowest 41% below U.S. |
42.3±11.2 9% above U.S. |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Hartford and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Ashland and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 9.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashland and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 42.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,500±$32kHighest 11% above U.S. |
$54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
| Plymouth and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $294,400±$28k 12% below U.S. |
$227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$304,500±$26kHighest 8% below U.S. |
| Hartford and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,296±$295Highest 8% below U.S. |
$1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
| Plymouth and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$4,961Lowest 59% above U.S. |
$5,773 85% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±10.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hartford and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 38% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hartford and Plymouth 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 | #47 of 120 in NH | — | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Ashland School District | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.