Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Hampton 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 has the most kids (14.6% under 18).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
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 | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,169Lowest |
10,101Highest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH |
51.2±1.7Lowest 18% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
| Bridgewater and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.8%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.6%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Hampton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
26.9%±3.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith 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% |
44.2% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Hampton and Meredith 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 |
$97,163±$4kHighest about the NH average |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
| Hampton and Meredith 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 |
$545,300±$63kHighest 35% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
| Hampton 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 |
$1,654±$93Highest 11% above NH |
$1,149±$304 23% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
$6,872Highest 3% above NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.9%±13.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton 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% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
74.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest same as NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above NH |
26 minLowest 3% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
20.5%±3.8 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Hampton 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 | #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.