Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Durham vs Holderness
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 the oldest population (median age 58.3).
Durham has the most people working from home (15.6%).
Holderness has the most kids (14.7% under 18).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Holderness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,169Lowest |
10,681Highest |
1,917 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1% NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 10.8%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Holderness and Bridgewater 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% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Bridgewater and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
55.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,361±$9kLowest 17% below NH |
$112,070±$25kHighest 13% above NH |
$107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
| Durham and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,600±$65k about the NH average |
$498,000±$45kHighest 24% above NH |
$363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
| Durham and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$201Lowest 25% below NH |
$1,302±$211 13% below NH |
$2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$3,923 41% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.1%±13.6 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
12.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
| Durham and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Newfound Area School District | — | Holderness School District |
| High school 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.