Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Eliot vs Hampton Beach
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 the most affordable homes ($399k median).
Eliot has the most kids (16.3% under 18).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Bridgewater | Eliot | Hampton Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,169Lowest |
7,146Highest |
2,605 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.3±6.3 50% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Lowest 31% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.8%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Eliot and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Bridgewater 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Eliot 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±$9kLowest about the U.S. average |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$82,557±$17k about the U.S. average |
| Eliot and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,600±$65kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$508,900±$76kHighest 53% above U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$201Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,375±$130 about the U.S. average |
| Eliot and Hampton Beach 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. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.1%±13.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Eliot 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Newfound Area School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.