What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bridgewater has the oldest population (median age 58.3).

Hampstead has the most people working from home (21%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bridgewater	Hampstead
People
Population	1,169Lowest	9,102Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.1%Highest NH: +4.6%	+5.6%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH	45.3±6.1Lowest 5% above NH
Kids under 18	10.8%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2%	21.3%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	33.1%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1%	21.8%±4Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%	44.9%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6%	5.1%±1.6Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$82,361±$9kLowest 17% below NH	$112,348±$18kHighest 13% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$398,600±$65kLowest about the NH average	$521,100±$45kHighest 29% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,125±$201Lowest 25% below NH	$1,299±$149Highest 13% below NH
	Hampstead 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	$8,634Highest 30% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2%	44.1%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2%
	Hampstead and Bridgewater 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%	3.8%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%	82.1%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Lowest same as NH	1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 min 13% above NH	30 min 13% above NH
Work from home	8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8%	21%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#49 of 120 in NH
School district	Newfound Area School District	Hampstead School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.