Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Hampton Beach vs Ashland
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%).
Hampton Beach has the most people working from home (26.9%).
Ashland has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
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 | Hampton Beach | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,169Lowest |
2,605Highest |
2,183 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1% NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 58.3±6.3 35% above NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
42.3±11.2Lowest about the NH average |
| 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% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.4%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
25.8%±5.3Lowest 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
34% NH: 40.6% |
35.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.2 NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Ashland 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±$9k 17% below NH |
$82,557±$17kHighest 17% below NH |
$54,607±$9kLowest 45% 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 |
$508,900±$76kHighest 26% above NH |
$227,000±$29kLowest 44% below 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 |
$1,375±$130Highest 8% below NH |
$1,096±$155Lowest 26% 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 |
$6,115Highest 8% below NH |
$4,961 26% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Ashland 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% |
8.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
21.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest same as NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above NH |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.9%±4.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Newfound Area School District | — | Ashland 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.