Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Meredith 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 affordable homes ($218k median).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Meredith | Newfane |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Lowest |
6,758Highest |
1,456 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 47% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
54.4±3.9Lowest 40% above U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Meredith 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% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bridgewater and Meredith 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% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith 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% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bridgewater and Meredith 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. |
$87,019±$19kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$66,719±$21kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$284,200±$49k 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$1,266±$238Highest 10% below U.S. |
| Newfane and Meredith 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. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$5,174Highest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest 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% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.8%±12.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfane and Meredith 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | — | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.