Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Bennington vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.1%).
Bennington has the most people working from home (14.7%).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
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 | Bridgewater | Bennington | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,169Lowest |
1,588 |
2,183Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
-6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH |
42.1±7.8Lowest about the NH average |
42.3±11.2 about the NH average |
| Bridgewater and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.8%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26%±5.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
21.4%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Bennington and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.8%±5.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
33.6% NH: 40.6% |
35.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.7 NH: 6% |
| Bennington and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,361±$9k 17% below NH |
$83,875±$7kHighest 15% below NH |
$54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
| Bennington and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,600±$65kHighest about the NH average |
$267,300±$15k 34% below NH |
$227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$201 25% below NH |
$1,292±$150Highest 13% below NH |
$1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
| Bennington and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
$5,944Highest 11% below NH |
$4,961 26% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
37.2%±20.6 NH: 48.2% |
39.1%±14.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Ashland and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.9% NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
21.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
74.3% NH: 72.8% |
64.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest same as NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above NH |
37 minHighest 38% above NH |
26 minLowest 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.7%±4.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.9%±4.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Bennington and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Newfound Area School District | Contoocook Valley School District | Ashland 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.