Compare towns
Plymouth vs Hanover vs Portsmouth 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 24.6).
Hanover has the highest household income ($170k).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Ashland has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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 | Hanover | Portsmouth | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,601 |
11,685 |
22,545Highest |
2,183Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
28.7±5.1 34% below NH |
42.9±2Highest about the NH average |
42.3±11.2 about the NH average |
| Portsmouth and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
21.4%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Ashland and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
25.8%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Ashland and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
35.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.7%±3.5 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Hanover and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,027±$26k 22% below NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
$54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,400±$22k 27% below NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$255 26% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,288 6% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
$4,961Lowest 26% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.6% NH: 7.2% |
5.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
21.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3% NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 31% below NH |
20 min 27% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
26 minHighest 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
9.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Portsmouth 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Portsmouth School District | Ashland School District |
| High school in town | Plymouth Regional High School | Hanover High School | Portsmouth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.4 |
— |
| 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.