Compare towns
Ashland vs Durham 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 kids (21.4% under 18).
Durham has the most people working from home (15.6%).
Bridgewater has the oldest population (median age 58.3).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183 |
10,681Highest |
1,169Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2 about the NH average |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% 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%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
10.8%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±5.3 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.1%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
$112,070±$25kHighest 13% above NH |
$82,361±$9k 17% below NH |
| Durham 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 |
$498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH |
$398,600±$65k about the NH average |
| Durham 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 |
$1,302±$211Highest 13% below NH |
$1,125±$201 25% below NH |
| Durham and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961 26% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham 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% |
12.4% NH: 7.2% |
11.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
79.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Durham and Ashland 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Ashland School District | — | Newfound Area School District |
| High school 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.