Compare towns
Bath vs Lempster vs Nelson
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (0%).
Lempster has the most homeowners (98.2%).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
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 | Lempster | Nelson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,097Highest |
953 |
648Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-3.1% NH: +4.6% |
-13.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.6 12% above NH |
50.8±7.2Highest 17% above NH |
42.3±11.7Lowest about the NH average |
| 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%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
12.8%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.5%±6.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Nelson and Bath 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% |
25.4%±3.5 NH: 20.1% |
24.8%±2Lowest 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
28.5% NH: 40.6% |
61.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2 NH: 6% |
6.1%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest 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 |
$86,607±$12k 13% below NH |
$99,792±$23kHighest about the NH average |
| Nelson and Lempster 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 |
$241,900±$29k 40% below NH |
$340,900±$49kHighest 15% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,438±$309Highest 4% below NH |
— | $1,203±$243Lowest 19% below NH |
| Bath and Nelson 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 |
$4,558 32% below NH |
$5,575Highest 16% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.9%±61.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
100%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
40%±68.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Lempster and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.2% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% NH: 72.8% |
98.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
90.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
37 minHighest 40% above NH |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.2 NH: 16.8% |
5%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
31.5%±8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Bath School District | Lempster School District | Nelson School District |
| High school in town | None 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.