Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Hampton Beach vs Hampton vs Lyme
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 affordable homes ($399k median).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Lyme has the most kids (19.5% 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 | Hampton | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,169Lowest |
2,605 |
16,426Highest |
1,710 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1% NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.1% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 58.3±6.3 35% above NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
55.8±2.1 29% above NH |
48.6±7.8Lowest 12% 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% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
11.6%±2.3 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
30.9%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Lowest 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% |
42.8% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.2 NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
3.1%±1.1 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Lyme and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $82,361±$9kLowest 17% below NH |
$82,557±$17k 17% below NH |
$95,233±$9k 4% below NH |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,600±$65kLowest about the NH average |
$508,900±$76k 26% above NH |
$550,200±$39k 37% above NH |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
| Lyme and Hampton 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±$130 8% below NH |
$1,628±$94Highest 9% above NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
| Hampton and Lyme 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 |
$6,115 8% below NH |
$6,813 about the NH average |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
56.8%±10.4 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Hampton 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% NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7% NH: 72.8% |
62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.8% NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest same as NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
26 min 3% below NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1 NH: 16.8% |
21.7%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Hampton Beach 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 | — | — | #31 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Newfound Area School District | — | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Winnacunnet High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.