Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Epping vs Stockbridge
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 most affordable homes ($218k median).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Stockbridge has the most people working from home (28.6%).
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 | Epping | Stockbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980 |
7,430Highest |
791Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 47% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Lowest 16% above U.S. |
55.3±5.3 42% above U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Epping and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bridgewater and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bridgewater and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$77,109±$12k 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$283,500±$26k 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,140±$126 19% below U.S. |
| Epping and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$4,488 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.3%±22Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.6%±12.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stockbridge and Epping 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 | — | #77 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Epping School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | — | Epping High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3 |
— |
| 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.