Compare towns
Alstead vs Fall River 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 people working from home (12.1%).
Fall River has the most kids (19.9% under 18).
Bridgewater has the highest household income ($82k).
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 | Fall River | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,551 |
94,082Highest |
1,169Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±3.3 44% above U.S. |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
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% |
19.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bridgewater and Alstead 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% |
16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fall River and Alstead 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. |
$56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$82,361±$9kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Bridgewater and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,600±$37kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$395,500±$11k 19% above U.S. |
$398,600±$65kHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,155±$27Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,125±$201Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Fall River and Bridgewater 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. |
$3,953 27% above U.S. |
$2,823Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.1%±13.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alstead and Fall River 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% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76% U.S.: 65.2% |
35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs 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%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Alstead and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #262 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | None in town | B M C Durfee High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
— |
| 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.