Compare towns

Bristol vs Chatham

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 people working from home (11.8%).
Chatham has the most expensive homes ($363k median).

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.

MeasureBristolChatham
People
Population
3,273Highest
430Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.2%
NH: +4.6%
—
Median age
42.7±5.7Lowest
about the NH average
48.3±8.6Highest
12% above NH
Chatham and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
24.3%±6.4Highest
NH: 18.2%
21.4%±7.4Lowest
NH: 18.2%
Bristol and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
23.2%±4.9Lowest
NH: 20.1%
26.5%±10Highest
NH: 20.1%
Chatham and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
35.5%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
38.4%Highest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.6%±2Lowest
NH: 6%
5.8%±3.8Highest
NH: 6%
Chatham 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±$10kHighest
21% below NH
$66,042±$19kLowest
33% below NH
Bristol and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$258,300±$63kLowest
36% below NH
$362,900±$42kHighest
10% below NH
Chatham and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,310±$97
12% below NH
—
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,162Highest
38% below NH
$3,690Lowest
45% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.3%±14.2Highest
NH: 48.2%
33.3%±100Lowest
NH: 48.2%
Bristol and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
10.3%Highest
NH: 7.2%
8.1%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
69.7%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
82.8%Highest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977Lowest
2 yrs older than NH
1979Highest
same as NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 minLowest
4% above NH
36 minHighest
33% above NH
Work from home
11.8%±5.2Highest
NH: 16.8%
7.3%±5.4Lowest
NH: 16.8%
Bristol and Chatham 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 #79 of 120 in NH —
School district Newfound Area School District —
High school in town Newfound Regional High School —
Students per teacherat that high school
11.5
—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 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.