What stands out worked out from the figures below

Seabrook Beach has the most expensive homes ($921k median).

Ashland has the most kids (21.4% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Seabrook Beach	Ashland
People
Population	1,001Lowest	2,183Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.7%Highest NH: +4.6%	-6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	62±3.8Highest 43% above NH	42.3±11.2Lowest about the NH average
Kids under 18	5.2%±3.1Lowest NH: 18.2%	21.4%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	42.1%±7.9Highest NH: 20.1%	25.8%±5.3Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.6%Highest NH: 40.6%	35.9%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±3.2Lowest NH: 6%	2.7%±1.7Highest NH: 6%
	Ashland and Seabrook Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$93,571±$43kHighest 6% below NH	$54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH
	Seabrook Beach and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$920,900±$75kHighest 129% above NH	$227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,725±$575Highest 16% above NH	$1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH
	Seabrook Beach and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH	$4,961Lowest 26% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	90.5%±100Highest NH: 48.2%	39.1%±14.8Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Seabrook Beach and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.8%Lowest NH: 7.2%	21.1%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.5%Highest NH: 72.8%	64.1%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH	1978Highest 1 yr older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 22% above NH	26 minLowest 4% below NH
Work from home	39.5%±20Highest NH: 16.8%	9.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
School district	—	Ashland School District
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.