Compare towns

Plymouth vs Ashland vs Henniker vs Hanover

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plymouth has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Ashland has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
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.

MeasurePlymouthAshlandHennikerHanover
People
Population
4,969
2,183Lowest
6,197
11,685Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.1%
NH: +4.6%
-6.6%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+27.9%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+5.4%
NH: +4.6%
Median age
22.8±0.9Lowest
47% below NH
42.3±11.2Highest
about the NH average
31.1±6.1
28% below NH
28.7±5.1
34% below NH
Ashland and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
13.3%±4.1Lowest
NH: 18.2%
21.4%±6.4Highest
NH: 18.2%
15.3%±3.7
NH: 18.2%
14.4%±2.4
NH: 18.2%
Ashland and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
9.4%±2.8Lowest
NH: 20.1%
25.8%±5.3Highest
NH: 20.1%
16.5%±6
NH: 20.1%
19.7%±2.8
NH: 20.1%
Ashland and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
63.7%
NH: 40.6%
35.9%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
41.4%
NH: 40.6%
88.2%Highest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
42.5%±2.1Highest
NH: 6%
2.7%±1.7Lowest
NH: 6%
27%±6.5
NH: 6%
36.9%±2.4
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$89,500±$32k
10% below NH
$54,607±$9kLowest
45% below NH
$95,206±$21k
4% below NH
$169,583±$36kHighest
71% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$294,400±$28k
27% below NH
$227,000±$29kLowest
44% below NH
$356,700±$49k
11% below NH
$824,900±$61kHighest
105% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,296±$295
13% below NH
$1,096±$155
26% below NH
$1,081±$164Lowest
27% below NH
$2,253±$217Highest
51% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,483
about the NH average
$4,961Lowest
26% below NH
$8,877
33% above NH
$10,000+Highest
at least 50% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
31.8%±10.7Lowest
NH: 48.2%
39.1%±14.8
NH: 48.2%
43.5%±22.6
NH: 48.2%
66.4%±17.5Highest
NH: 48.2%
Hanover and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
17%
NH: 7.2%
21.1%Highest
NH: 7.2%
11.6%
NH: 7.2%
5.6%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
50.7%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
64.1%
NH: 72.8%
64.5%
NH: 72.8%
73.7%Highest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1971Lowest
8 yrs older than NH
1978Highest
1 yr older than NH
1974
5 yrs older than NH
1976
3 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
16 minLowest
39% below NH
26 minHighest
4% below NH
20 min
24% below NH
20 min
27% below NH
Work from home
10.5%±4
NH: 16.8%
9.9%±4.6Lowest
NH: 16.8%
15.5%±5.6
NH: 16.8%
26.4%±5Highest
NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #47 of 120 in NH — #56 of 120 in NH #1 of 120 in NH
School district — Ashland School District Henniker School District Dresden School District · Hanover School District
High school in town — None in town None in town Hanover High School
Students per teacherat that high school — — —
10.7
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet 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.