Compare towns
Monroe 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
Monroe has the highest household income ($88k).
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
Bath has the most affordable homes ($234k 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.
| Measure | Monroe | Effingham | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 786Lowest |
1,912Highest |
1,097 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% NH: +4.6% |
+15.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
0%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 51±10.4Highest 18% above NH |
46.9±12.4Lowest 8% above NH |
48.6±8.6 12% above NH |
| Monroe and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±7.6 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bath and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.3%±8.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26.1%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Monroe and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.4% NH: 40.6% |
20.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
26.8%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
2.4%±2Highest NH: 6% |
| Bath and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,150±$7kHighest 11% below NH |
$76,607±$14k 23% below NH |
$67,813±$22kLowest 32% below NH |
| Monroe and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,700±$58k 22% below NH |
$322,700±$30kHighest 20% below NH |
$234,400±$23kLowest 42% below NH |
| Effingham and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$218 26% below NH |
$1,090±$121Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,438±$309Highest 4% below NH |
| Bath and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,661Lowest 60% below NH |
$5,163Highest 23% below NH |
$4,413 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±39Highest NH: 48.2% |
13.6%±40.4 NH: 48.2% |
5.9%±61.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Monroe and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
90.2% NH: 72.8% |
90.9%Highest 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 | 27 min about the NH average |
32 minHighest 18% above NH |
26 minLowest 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 3.2%±2.2Lowest 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 | Monroe 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.