Compare towns
Alstead vs Cornwall vs Gorham 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
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
Gorham has the most affordable homes ($162k median).
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 | Cornwall | Gorham | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,551 |
1,208 |
2,682Highest |
1,169Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±3.3 44% above U.S. |
50.4±4.6Lowest 30% above U.S. |
53.9±3.6 39% above U.S. |
58.3±6.3Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.5%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
10.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Cornwall and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.7%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bridgewater and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gorham and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,526±$11k 20% below U.S. |
$114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$61,275±$7kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$82,361±$9k about the U.S. average |
| Cornwall 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±$37k 18% below U.S. |
$458,000±$49kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$161,600±$49kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$398,600±$65k 20% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,125±$206Highest 20% below U.S. |
$838±$83Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,125±$201Highest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322 71% above U.S. |
$6,726Highest 116% above U.S. |
$4,334 39% above U.S. |
$2,823Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±65.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±20.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.1%±13.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alstead and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
1.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #57 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.