Compare towns
Ashland vs Bow 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
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Ashland | Bow | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183 |
8,335Highest |
1,169Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2 about the NH average |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH |
| Bridgewater and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.8%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±5.3 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.1%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$82,361±$9k 17% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$398,600±$65k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,125±$201 25% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961 26% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Ashland and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
79.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 4% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Ashland School District | Bow School District | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
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| 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.