Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Windham vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the oldest population (median age 58.3).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
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.
| Measure | Bridgewater | Windham | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,169Lowest |
19,188Highest |
2,183 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.3±6.3Highest 50% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.3±11.2 9% above U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashland and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windham 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 about the U.S. average |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,600±$65kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$201 20% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Windham and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,823Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$4,961Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.1%±13.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±14.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashland and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Newfound Area School District | RSU 14 | Ashland School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.