What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hampstead has the most people working from home (21%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hampstead	Bridgewater
People
Population	9,102Highest	1,169Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.6%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+7.1%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	45.3±6.1Lowest 5% above NH	58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH
Kids under 18	21.3%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2%	10.8%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	21.8%±4Lowest NH: 20.1%	33.1%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.9%Highest NH: 40.6%	32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.6Highest NH: 6%	1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$112,348±$18kHighest 13% above NH	$82,361±$9kLowest 17% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$521,100±$45kHighest 29% above NH	$398,600±$65kLowest about the NH average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,299±$149Highest 13% below NH	$1,125±$201Lowest 25% below NH
	Hampstead and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,634Highest 30% above NH	$2,823Lowest 58% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.1%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2%	32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Hampstead and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.8%Lowest NH: 7.2%	11.9%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.1%Highest NH: 72.8%	79.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH	1979Lowest same as NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 min 13% above NH	30 min 13% above NH
Work from home	21%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8%	8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#49 of 120 in NH	—
School district	Hampstead School District	Newfound Area School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
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.