Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Exeter vs Freedom
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the highest household income ($110k).
Freedom has the most homeowners (91%).
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 | Exeter | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,169Lowest |
16,151Highest |
1,494 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+13.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 58.3±6.3 35% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
60.6±3.2Highest 40% above NH |
| Freedom and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.8%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.9%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
40.3%±4.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,361±$9k 17% below NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$66,136±$14kLowest 33% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,600±$65k about the NH average |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$389,000±$43kLowest 3% below NH |
| Exeter 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 |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$3,478 48% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
79.6%±75Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Freedom and Exeter 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% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest same as NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.5%±7.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter and Freedom 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Newfound Area School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Freedom School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.