The Town Files

Ashland, New Hampshire

Town in Grafton County · population 1,938 (2020 Census)

Map: where Ashland is in New HampshireAshland
Median home
$227,000
Household income
$54,607
Jan low / Jul high
7° / 80°
Snow a year
68 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
4
Median age
42.3

Ashland is a town of 1,938 people in Grafton County, New Hampshire. The median home is worth $227,000, below the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). It ranks better for young professionals than 82% of New Hampshire towns, hipper than 81% of New Hampshire towns, more vibrant than 74% of New Hampshire towns.

How Ashland ranks

Percentile among New Hampshire towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Hampshire towns.

Ashland lifestyle rankings vs other New Hampshire townsRetirement6th pctFamilies2nd pctQuiet8th pctWalkability70th pctFirst-time buyers72nd pctYoung professionals82nd pctVibrancy74th pctHip & trendy81st pctCollege town8th pctUpscale7th pctVacation homes54th pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving18th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Ashland is worth $227,000, below the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $54,607, which is more affordable than 29% of New Hampshire towns. Median rent is $1,096 a month. 64.1% of households own their home.

Ashland vs Grafton County vs typical New Hampshire townAshlandGrafton CountyTypical New Hampshire townHome value$227,000$344,500$357,650Household income$54,607$88,261$94,107Monthly rent$1,096$1,301$1,285
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of New Hampshire towns with 500+ people.
HousingAshlandTypical New Hampshire town
Median home value$227,000$357,650
Median rent$1,096$1,285
Median household income$54,607$94,107
Home value ÷ income4.2×3.8×
Homeownership64.1%82.1%
Median year built19781978
Seasonal / vacation homes23.1%—

Who lives in Ashland

PeopleAshlandTypical New Hampshire town
Median age42.346.3
Age 65 and over25.8%22.3%
Under 1821.4%—
Bachelor's degree or higher35.9%36.8%
Below the poverty line21.1%7.2%
Veterans6.6%—
Born outside the U.S.3.3%—
Work from home9.9%14.2%
Average commute25.7 min27.1 min
Homes with broadband93.4%92.5%

Weather in Ashland

July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 7.4°F. About 44.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 68.3 inches of snow (typical New Hampshire town: 67.7 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 196 nights at or below freezing.

Ashland monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing29°7°Jan33°8°Feb41°18°Mar55°29°Apr67°39°May75°49°Jun80°54°Jul79°52°Aug72°45°Sep58°34°Oct46°25°Nov34°15°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.218.02.615.73.113.53.33.43.74.44.53.83.54.60.33.63.24.014.2
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Plymouth station (4.0 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ashland since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New Hampshire town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 23, 1995 about 5.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 17, 2012.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Ashland by decade01950s11960s11970s01980s11990s02000s12010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 1, 2011.

Severe weather in Grafton County since 1996

Storm events in Grafton County since 1996 by typeHail121Flood160Drought37High Wind38Heavy Snow212Flash Flood107Strong Wind52Winter Storm68
NOAA Storm Events Database, Grafton County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 7 deaths recorded.

Grafton County has been included in 40 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
August 20, 2024Severe StormDR-4812: Severe Storm And Flooding
July 10, 2024Winter StormDR-4799: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding
April 19, 2024Severe StormDR-4771: Severe Storms And Flooding
February 27, 2024Severe StormDR-4761: Severe Storm And Flooding
September 14, 2023FloodDR-4740: Severe Storms And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Grafton County

Grafton County had 54,323 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $73,105 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Ashland itself the ACS puts it at 3%.

Largest industries in Grafton CountyHealth care & social assistan…13,333 jobs · $95,233Retail6,904 jobs · $39,869Education5,881 jobs · $103,666Hotels & restaurants5,403 jobs · $33,867Manufacturing4,621 jobs · $73,572Professional & technical serv…2,170 jobs · $119,483
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Grafton County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%2000200420082012201620202023Grafton 1.9%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Ashland

1 public school with 147 students, about 7.3 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Ashland Elementary SchoolK-81477.4

Towns near Ashland

Ashland questions

Is Ashland, New Hampshire a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ashland scores better for retirees than 6% of New Hampshire towns and quieter than 8%. 25.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.3).

How much does a house cost in Ashland?

The median owner-occupied home in Ashland is valued at $227,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,607, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $1,096 a month.

What is the weather like in Ashland?

July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 7.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.5 inches of precipitation a year and 68.3 inches of snow.

Does Ashland get tornadoes?

4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ashland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 23, 1995. The typical New Hampshire town has had 5.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Ashland's Census boundary (GEOID 3300902020). Comparisons use the median of New Hampshire towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.