Compare towns
Alstead vs Braintree vs Bridgewater
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alstead has the most renters (24% rent).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Bridgewater has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.1%).
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 | Alstead | Braintree | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,551Highest |
1,026Lowest |
1,169 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±3.3Lowest 44% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
58.3±6.3 50% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.1%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Alstead and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,526±$11kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$82,361±$9kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Bridgewater and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,600±$37k 18% below U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$398,600±$65kHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,125±$201Highest 20% below U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322Highest 71% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
$2,823Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.1%±13.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alstead and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.