Compare towns
Ashland vs Exeter 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).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
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 | Exeter | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183 |
16,151Highest |
1,169Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2Lowest about the NH average |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
10.8%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Ashland and Exeter 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% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.1%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter 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 |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$82,361±$9k 17% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$398,600±$65k about the NH average |
| Exeter 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 |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,125±$201 25% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961 26% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter 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% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
79.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Ashland School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.