Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Hampton Beach vs Bristol
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%).
Bristol has the most kids (24.3% 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 | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,169Lowest |
2,605 |
3,273Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1% NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 58.3±6.3 35% above NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
42.7±5.7Lowest 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% |
24.3%±6.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
23.2%±4.9Lowest 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% |
35.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.2 NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2Highest NH: 6% |
| Bristol 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 |
$78,438±$10kLowest 21% 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 |
$258,300±$63kLowest 36% 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±$201Lowest 25% below NH |
$1,375±$130Highest 8% below NH |
$1,310±$97 12% below NH |
| Hampton Beach and Bristol 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 |
$4,162 38% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±14.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Bristol 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% |
8.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest same as NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above NH |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.8%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #79 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newfound Area School District | — | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Newfound Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
| 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.