Compare towns

Plymouth vs Lebanon 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

Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 22.8).
Lebanon has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Ashland has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
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.

MeasurePlymouthLebanonAshland
People
Population
4,969
14,999Highest
2,183Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.1%
NH: +4.6%
+8.6%Highest
NH: +4.6%
-6.6%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
22.8±0.9Lowest
47% below NH
38.9±3.1
10% below NH
42.3±11.2Highest
about the NH average
Ashland and Lebanon 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%
14.6%±2.4
NH: 18.2%
21.4%±6.4Highest
NH: 18.2%
Ashland and Lebanon 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%
21.4%±2.6
NH: 20.1%
25.8%±5.3Highest
NH: 20.1%
Ashland and Lebanon 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
NH: 40.6%
57.5%
NH: 40.6%
35.9%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
42.5%±2.1Highest
NH: 6%
6.9%±2.6
NH: 6%
2.7%±1.7Lowest
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$89,500±$32k
10% below NH
$98,147±$10kHighest
about the NH average
$54,607±$9kLowest
45% below NH
Lebanon and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$294,400±$28k
27% below NH
$385,400±$29kHighest
4% below NH
$227,000±$29kLowest
44% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,296±$295
13% below NH
$1,744±$132Highest
17% above NH
$1,096±$155Lowest
26% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,483
about the NH average
$8,149Highest
22% above NH
$4,961Lowest
26% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
31.8%±10.7Lowest
NH: 48.2%
41.9%±7.2Highest
NH: 48.2%
39.1%±14.8
NH: 48.2%
Lebanon and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
17%
NH: 7.2%
7%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
21.1%Highest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
50.7%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
51.2%
NH: 72.8%
64.1%Highest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1971Lowest
8 yrs older than NH
1980Highest
1 yr newer than NH
1978
1 yr older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
16 min
39% below NH
14 minLowest
48% below NH
26 minHighest
4% below NH
Work from home
10.5%±4
NH: 16.8%
22.8%±4.3Highest
NH: 16.8%
9.9%±4.6Lowest
NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #47 of 120 in NH #29 of 120 in NH —
School district — Lebanon School District Ashland School District
High school in town — Lebanon High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
11.7
—
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.