Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Dummerston vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.1%).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
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 | Dummerston | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,169Lowest |
2,090 |
2,183Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.3±6.3Highest 50% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
42.3±11.2Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ashland and Bridgewater 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 about the U.S. average |
$101,696±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Dummerston 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 20% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$201 20% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,823Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$4,961Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.1%±13.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dummerston and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Newfound Area School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Ashland 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 |
U.S. 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.