Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Gorham vs Braintree vs Newfane
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 kids (12.8% under 18).
Gorham has the most affordable homes ($162k median).
Braintree has the highest household income ($80k).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
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 | Gorham | Braintree | Newfane |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
2,682Highest |
1,026 |
1,456 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8 47% above U.S. |
53.9±3.6Lowest 39% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
54.4±3.9 40% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.5%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bridgewater and Gorham 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% |
31.7%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gorham and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3k 13% below U.S. |
$61,275±$7kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the U.S. average |
$66,719±$21k 17% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55k 34% below U.S. |
$161,600±$49kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$217,700±$28k 35% below U.S. |
$284,200±$49kHighest 15% below U.S. |
| Newfane and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778 40% below U.S. |
$838±$83Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$840±$405 41% below U.S. |
$1,266±$238Highest 10% below U.S. |
| Newfane and Bridgewater 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. |
$4,334 39% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
$5,174Highest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±20.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.9%±79.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bridgewater and Newfane 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% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
1.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.8%±12.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfane and Braintree 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 | — | #57 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | — | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | — | Gorham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.