Compare towns
Alstead vs Windham 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 affordable homes ($272k median).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
Bridgewater has the oldest population (median age 58.3).
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 | Windham | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,551 |
19,188Highest |
1,169Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±3.3 44% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% 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% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windham 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±$11kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$82,361±$9k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,600±$37kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$398,600±$65kHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,232±$332Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,125±$201Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Windham 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. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$2,823Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.1%±13.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 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%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | RSU 14 | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.