Compare towns
Plymouth vs Portsmouth vs Hartford 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).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k median).
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Portsmouth | Hartford | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,601 |
22,545Highest |
10,736 |
2,183Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 24.6±3.4Lowest 37% below U.S. |
42.9±2 10% above U.S. |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
42.3±11.2 9% above U.S. |
| Hartford and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±6.4Highest 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+ | 12%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±5.3Highest 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+ | 54% U.S.: 35.7% |
64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.7%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,027±$26k 5% below U.S. |
$106,219±$7kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
$54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,400±$22k 12% below U.S. |
$688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$255 22% below U.S. |
$1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
$1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,288 102% above U.S. |
$8,018Highest 157% above U.S. |
$5,773 85% above U.S. |
$4,961Lowest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.8%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Portsmouth and Hartford 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% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #47 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH | #34 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Portsmouth School District | Hartford School District | Ashland School District |
| High school in town | Plymouth Regional High School | Portsmouth High School | Hartford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.4 |
9.6Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.