Compare towns
Lempster vs Effingham vs Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lempster has the highest household income ($87k).
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
Bath has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Lempster | Effingham | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 953Lowest |
1,912Highest |
1,097 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+15.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
0% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±7.2Highest 17% above NH |
46.9±12.4Lowest 8% above NH |
48.6±8.6 12% above NH |
| Lempster and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bath and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.4%±3.5 NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26.1%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bath and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
20.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
26.8% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
2.4%±2 NH: 6% |
| Lempster and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,607±$12kHighest 13% below NH |
$76,607±$14k 23% below NH |
$67,813±$22kLowest 32% below NH |
| Lempster and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $241,900±$29k 40% below NH |
$322,700±$30kHighest 20% below NH |
$234,400±$23kLowest 42% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,090±$121Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,438±$309Highest 4% below NH |
| Bath and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,558 32% below NH |
$5,163Highest 23% below NH |
$4,413Lowest 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
13.6%±40.4 NH: 48.2% |
5.9%±61.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Lempster and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
90.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
90.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 40% above NH |
32 min 18% above NH |
26 minLowest 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 5%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.1%±4.2Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.1%±3.2 NH: 16.8% |
| Effingham and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Lempster School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Bath 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 |
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.