Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Ossipee vs Barnard vs Fairlee
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).
Barnard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
Fairlee has the most renters (19.1% rent).
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 | Ossipee | Barnard | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980Lowest |
4,521Highest |
1,211 |
1,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 47% above U.S. |
50±4.6 29% above U.S. |
42.4±6Lowest 9% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7 44% 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% |
19.5%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
26.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Barnard and Ossipee 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% |
26.3%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7 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. |
$90,521±$22k 12% above U.S. |
$97,581±$19kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
| Barnard and Ossipee 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. |
$325,500±$23k about the U.S. average |
$402,600±$71kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
| Barnard and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,601±$245Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,372±$80 about the U.S. average |
$1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
| Ossipee and Barnard 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. |
$4,401 41% above U.S. |
$6,038Highest 94% above U.S. |
$5,617 80% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±16.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
27%±19.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Ossipee 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% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±10.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barnard 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 | — | #100 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | — | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.