Compare towns

Bridgewater vs Warner 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.1%).
Warner has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).

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.

MeasureBridgewaterWarnerAshland
People
Population
1,169Lowest
2,959Highest
2,183
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+7.1%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+3.7%
NH: +4.6%
-6.6%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
58.3±6.3Highest
35% above NH
43.7±4
about the NH average
42.3±11.2Lowest
about the NH average
Kids under 18
10.8%±3.5Lowest
NH: 18.2%
17.3%±3.3
NH: 18.2%
21.4%±6.4Highest
NH: 18.2%
Ashland and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
33.1%±1.8Highest
NH: 20.1%
20.4%±3.5Lowest
NH: 20.1%
25.8%±5.3
NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
32.8%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
42.4%Highest
NH: 40.6%
35.9%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.3%±1.2Lowest
NH: 6%
5.3%±1.6Highest
NH: 6%
2.7%±1.7
NH: 6%
Warner and Ashland 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
$94,022±$18kHighest
5% below NH
$54,607±$9kLowest
45% below NH
Warner 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±$65kHighest
about the NH average
$353,100±$22k
12% below NH
$227,000±$29kLowest
44% below NH
Bridgewater and Warner 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
$1,219±$123Highest
18% below NH
$1,096±$155Lowest
26% below NH
Warner 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
$7,650Highest
15% above NH
$4,961
26% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
32.1%±13.6Lowest
NH: 48.2%
48.7%±21.3Highest
NH: 48.2%
39.1%±14.8
NH: 48.2%
Warner 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%
8.4%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
21.1%Highest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
79.7%Highest
NH: 72.8%
74.6%
NH: 72.8%
64.1%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1979Highest
same as NH
1975Lowest
4 yrs older than NH
1978
1 yr older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 min
13% above NH
32 minHighest
19% above NH
26 minLowest
4% below NH
Work from home
8%±3.3Lowest
NH: 16.8%
16.6%±4.8Highest
NH: 16.8%
9.9%±4.6
NH: 16.8%
Warner and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district Newfound Area School District Kearsarge Regional School District Ashland School District
High school in town None 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.