What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bath has the most affordable homes ($234k median).

Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bath	Effingham
People
Population	1,097Lowest	1,912Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	0%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+15.4%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	48.6±8.6Highest 12% above NH	46.9±12.4Lowest 8% above NH
	Bath and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.3%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2%	19.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Bath and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.1%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1%	18.7%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26.8%Highest NH: 40.6%	20.3%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±2Highest NH: 6%	1.1%±0.8Lowest NH: 6%
	Bath and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$67,813±$22kLowest 32% below NH	$76,607±$14kHighest 23% below NH
	Effingham and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$234,400±$23kLowest 42% below NH	$322,700±$30kHighest 20% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,438±$309Highest 4% below NH	$1,090±$121Lowest 27% below NH
	Bath and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,413Lowest 34% below NH	$5,163Highest 23% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	5.9%±61.3Lowest NH: 48.2%	13.6%±40.4Highest NH: 48.2%
	Effingham and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.1%Lowest NH: 7.2%	9%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.9%Highest NH: 72.8%	90.2%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH	1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 4% below NH	32 minHighest 18% above NH
Work from home	11.1%±3.2Lowest NH: 16.8%	16.1%±4.2Highest NH: 16.8%
	Effingham and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Bath School District	Governor Wentworth Regional School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.