Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Fairlee vs Stratham
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).
Fairlee has the most renters (19.1% rent).
Stratham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Fairlee | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Lowest |
1,066 |
7,754Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 47% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7 44% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Fairlee 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% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bridgewater and Fairlee 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. |
$74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$5,617 80% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Stratham 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% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham and Fairlee 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 | — | — | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Rivendell Interstate School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.