Compare towns
Bath vs Effingham vs Lempster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
Lempster has the highest household income ($87k).
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 | Bath | Effingham | Lempster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,097 |
1,912Highest |
953Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% NH: +4.6% |
+15.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-3.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.6 12% above NH |
46.9±12.4Lowest 8% above NH |
50.8±7.2Highest 17% above NH |
| Lempster and Bath 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%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
12.8%±4.1Lowest 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% |
25.4%±3.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Bath and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.8% NH: 40.6% |
20.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
28.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2 NH: 6% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Lempster and Bath 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±$14k 23% below NH |
$86,607±$12kHighest 13% below NH |
| Lempster and Effingham 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 |
$241,900±$29k 40% 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 |
$4,558 32% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.9%±61.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
13.6%±40.4 NH: 48.2% |
100%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Lempster and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% NH: 7.2% |
9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% NH: 72.8% |
90.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
98.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 4% below NH |
32 min 18% above NH |
37 minHighest 40% above NH |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.2 NH: 16.8% |
16.1%±4.2Highest NH: 16.8% |
5%±2.5Lowest 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 | Lempster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.