Compare towns
Bath vs Marlow 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 most people working from home (11.1%).
Marlow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.9%).
Lempster has the most homeowners (98.2%).
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 | Marlow | Lempster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,097Highest |
855Lowest |
953 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% NH: +4.6% |
+0.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-3.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.6Lowest 12% above NH |
52.8±11.7Highest 22% above NH |
50.8±7.2 17% above NH |
| Marlow and Lempster 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% |
20.5%±6.3 NH: 18.2% |
12.8%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bath and Marlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
30.5%±5.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
25.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Marlow and Bath 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% |
33.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
28.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
3.3%±2.2 NH: 6% |
6.1%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Lempster and Marlow 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 |
$110,455±$12kHighest 12% above NH |
$86,607±$12k 13% below NH |
| Marlow 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 |
$325,400±$49kHighest 19% below NH |
$241,900±$29k 40% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,438±$309Highest 4% below NH |
$1,154±$160Lowest 23% below NH |
— |
| Bath and Marlow 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 |
$5,826Highest 13% below NH |
$4,558 32% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.9%±61.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
18.2%±95.1 NH: 48.2% |
100%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Lempster and Marlow 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% |
8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.6% NH: 72.8% |
98.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 4% below NH |
35 min 31% above NH |
37 minHighest 40% above NH |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.2Highest NH: 16.8% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
5%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Bath School District | Marlow School District | Lempster 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.