Compare towns
Ashland vs Holderness vs Bridgewater vs Bristol
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).
Holderness has the highest household income ($108k).
Bridgewater has the oldest population (median age 58.3).
Bristol has the most people working from home (11.8%).
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 | Holderness | Bridgewater | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,183 |
1,917 |
1,169Lowest |
3,273Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+7.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2 about the NH average |
39.4±7.4Lowest 9% below NH |
58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH |
42.7±5.7 about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3 NH: 18.2% |
10.8%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
24.3%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bristol 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% |
31.4%±4.6 NH: 20.1% |
33.1%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
23.2%±4.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bridgewater and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% NH: 40.6% |
55.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
35.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6 NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2Highest NH: 6% |
| Bristol 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 |
$107,863±$45kHighest 9% above NH |
$82,361±$9k 17% below NH |
$78,438±$10k 21% below NH |
| Holderness 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 |
$363,100±$60k 10% below NH |
$398,600±$65kHighest about the NH average |
$258,300±$63k 36% below NH |
| Bridgewater and Holderness 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 |
$2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,125±$201 25% below NH |
$1,310±$97 12% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961Highest 26% below NH |
$3,923 41% below NH |
$2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
$4,162 38% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±13.6 NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±14.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Bristol 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% |
12.1% NH: 7.2% |
11.9% NH: 7.2% |
10.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
79.7% NH: 72.8% |
69.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 4% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6 NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±5.2Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Bristol 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 | — | — | — | #79 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Ashland School District | Holderness School District | Newfound Area School District | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Newfound Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.