Compare towns
Alstead vs Temple vs Bridgewater
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).
Temple has the most people working from home (16.9%).
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 | Temple | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,551Highest |
1,363 |
1,169Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.2% NH: +4.6% |
+7.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56±3.3 29% above NH |
49.5±7.3Lowest 14% above NH |
58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH |
| 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 NH: 18.2% |
14.3%±3.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.8%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Temple and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
17.8%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.1%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
36.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.8% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
1.7%±1.1 NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Alstead and Temple 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 |
$94,107±$15kHighest 5% below NH |
$82,361±$9k 17% below NH |
| Temple 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 |
$401,000±$27kHighest about the NH average |
$398,600±$65k about the NH average |
| Temple and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,169±$523Highest 22% below NH |
$1,125±$201Lowest 25% below NH |
| Temple 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 |
$6,983Highest 5% above NH |
$2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
30.2%±54.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±13.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
9.4% NH: 7.2% |
11.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
79.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 19% above NH |
37 minHighest 37% above NH |
30 minLowest 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
16.9%±5.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Temple 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 | Contoocook Valley School District | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | None 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.