Compare towns
Ashland vs Bridgewater vs Dover
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).
Bridgewater has the oldest population (median age 58.3).
Dover has the most people working from home (18.6%).
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 | Bridgewater | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183 |
1,169Lowest |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.1% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2 about the NH average |
58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below 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%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.8%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Ashland and Dover 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% |
33.1%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% NH: 40.6% |
32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
$82,361±$9k 17% below NH |
$94,829±$7kHighest 4% below NH |
| Dover and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
$398,600±$65k about the NH average |
$436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
| Dover and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,125±$201 25% below NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961 26% below NH |
$2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
$8,249Highest 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Dover and Ashland 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% |
11.9% NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1% NH: 72.8% |
79.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6 NH: 16.8% |
8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Ashland School District | Newfound Area School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7 |
| 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.