Compare towns
Bristol vs Bow vs Bridgewater
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most affordable homes ($258k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Bridgewater has the oldest population (median age 58.3).
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 | Bristol | Bow | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,273 |
8,335Highest |
1,169Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.7±5.7 about the NH average |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 24.3%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.8%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.1%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,438±$10kLowest 21% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$82,361±$9k 17% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$63kLowest 36% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$398,600±$65k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,310±$97 12% below NH |
$1,539±$178Highest 3% above NH |
$1,125±$201Lowest 25% below NH |
| Bow and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,162 38% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±14.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Bristol and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
79.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 11.8%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #79 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Newfound Area School District | Bow School District | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | Newfound Regional High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.