Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Hampton Beach vs Meredith
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%).
Meredith has the most kids (12.6% 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 | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,169Lowest |
2,605 |
6,758Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1% NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 58.3±6.3 35% above NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
55.5±3.7Lowest 28% 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% |
12.6%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Meredith and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Hampton Beach 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% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.2 NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Meredith 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±$9kLowest 17% below NH |
$82,557±$17k 17% below NH |
$87,019±$19kHighest 12% below NH |
| Meredith and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,600±$65kLowest about the NH average |
$508,900±$76kHighest 26% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith 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 |
$1,149±$304 23% below NH |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith 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 |
$5,006 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith 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% |
7.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest same as NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above NH |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith 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 | — | — | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newfound Area School District | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
| 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.