Compare towns
Bristol vs Salisbury vs Warner 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).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
Warner has the oldest housing (typical home built 1975).
Bridgewater has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.1%).
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 | Salisbury | Warner | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,273Highest |
1,609 |
2,959 |
1,169Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.7% NH: +4.6% |
+7.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.7±5.7Lowest about the NH average |
51.5±4.5 19% above NH |
43.7±4 about the NH average |
58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH |
| Bridgewater and Salisbury 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% |
20.1%±9.6 NH: 18.2% |
17.3%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
10.8%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bristol and Salisbury 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% |
24.9%±4 NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.1%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5% NH: 40.6% |
37.3% NH: 40.6% |
42.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2 NH: 6% |
2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
5.3%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Warner 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 |
$111,591±$17kHighest 13% above NH |
$94,022±$18k 5% below NH |
$82,361±$9k 17% below NH |
| Salisbury and Warner 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 |
$363,400±$47k 10% below NH |
$353,100±$22k 12% below NH |
$398,600±$65kHighest about the NH average |
| Bridgewater and Salisbury 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 |
$1,917±$632Highest 29% above NH |
$1,219±$123 18% below NH |
$1,125±$201Lowest 25% below NH |
| Salisbury 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 |
$5,859 12% below NH |
$7,650Highest 15% above NH |
$2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±14.2 NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.7%±21.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±13.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Warner and Bristol 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% |
7.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.4% NH: 7.2% |
11.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
96.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
74.6% NH: 72.8% |
79.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% above NH |
32 minHighest 20% above NH |
32 min 19% above NH |
30 min 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 11.8%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
23.3%±10.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.6%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Salisbury and Warner 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 | Merrimack Valley School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | Newfound Regional High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.