Compare towns
Alstead vs Upton 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
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Upton | Gorham | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,551 |
8,189Highest |
2,682 |
1,169Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% 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. |
46.4±4.8Lowest 19% 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.5%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
10.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest 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% |
53.5%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% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gorham 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$61,275±$7kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$82,361±$9k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,600±$37k 18% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$161,600±$49kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$398,600±$65k 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$838±$83Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,125±$201Highest 20% below U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322 71% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% 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% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±20.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.1%±13.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alstead and Upton 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% |
3.2%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% |
86.7%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. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above 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% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
1.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Alstead 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #57 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
9.0Lowest |
— |
| 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.