Compare towns
Plymouth vs Lee vs Eliot vs Ashland
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 24.6).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
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 | Lee | Eliot | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,601 |
4,576 |
7,146Highest |
2,183Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 24.6±3.4Lowest 37% below U.S. |
42.9±1.9 10% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
42.3±11.2 9% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Lee and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.7%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,027±$26k 5% below U.S. |
$131,579±$54kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Lee and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,400±$22k 12% below U.S. |
$480,600±$61k 44% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$255 22% below U.S. |
— | $1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,288 102% above U.S. |
$9,661Highest 210% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$4,961 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.8%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee and Eliot 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Oyster River Coop School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Ashland School District |
| High school in town | Plymouth Regional High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.