Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Gorham vs Hampton Beach
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 most homeowners (79.7%).
Gorham has the most affordable homes ($162k median).
Hampton Beach has the most people working from home (26.9%).
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 | Gorham | Hampton Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,169Lowest |
2,682Highest |
2,605 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1% NH: +4.6% |
-5.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 58.3±6.3 35% above NH |
53.9±3.6Lowest 24% above NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
| 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 NH: 18.2% |
12.5%±3.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Gorham 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 NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±6.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| 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% NH: 40.6% |
20.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
34%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.2 NH: 6% |
6.7%±2.8Highest NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,361±$9k 17% below NH |
$61,275±$7kLowest 38% below NH |
$82,557±$17kHighest 17% below NH |
| Hampton Beach 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±$65k about the NH average |
$161,600±$49kLowest 60% below NH |
$508,900±$76kHighest 26% above NH |
| Hampton Beach and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$201 25% below NH |
$838±$83Lowest 44% below NH |
$1,375±$130Highest 8% below NH |
| Hampton Beach 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 |
$4,334 35% below NH |
$6,115Highest 8% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41%±20.3 NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
71.6% NH: 72.8% |
62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest same as NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 8%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
1.7%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #57 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Newfound Area School District | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Gorham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| 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.