Compare towns
Alstead vs Bridgewater vs Hampton Beach
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alstead has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Bridgewater has the most homeowners (79.7%).
Hampton Beach has the most people working from home (26.9%).
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 | Bridgewater | Hampton Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,551 |
1,169Lowest |
2,605Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.1% NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56±3.3Lowest 29% above NH |
58.3±6.3 35% above NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
| Hampton Beach 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 NH: 18.2% |
10.8%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Alstead and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.1%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Hampton Beach 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 NH: 40.6% |
32.8% NH: 40.6% |
34%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.2 NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Alstead and Bridgewater 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 35% below NH |
$82,361±$9k 17% below NH |
$82,557±$17kHighest 17% below NH |
| Hampton Beach and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,600±$37kLowest 33% below NH |
$398,600±$65k about the NH average |
$508,900±$76kHighest 26% above NH |
| Hampton Beach and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,125±$201Lowest 25% below NH |
$1,375±$130Highest 8% below NH |
| Hampton Beach and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322 20% below NH |
$2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
$6,115Highest 8% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Alstead and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% NH: 7.2% |
11.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76% NH: 72.8% |
79.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 6 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 19% above NH |
30 min 13% above NH |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Newfound Area School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.