Compare towns
Plymouth vs Bridgewater vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plymouth has the most affordable homes ($292k median).
Bridgewater has the oldest population (median age 58.3).
Durham has the most people working from home (19.4%).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Plymouth | Bridgewater | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,601 |
1,169Lowest |
15,080Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.1%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 24.6±3.4 43% below NH |
58.3±6.3Highest 35% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.8%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Plymouth and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
33.1%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54% NH: 40.6% |
32.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.7%±3.5 NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$82,361±$9k 17% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$398,600±$65k about the NH average |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
| Durham and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,125±$201 25% below NH |
$1,429±$143Highest 4% below NH |
| Durham and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,288 6% below NH |
$2,823Lowest 58% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.8%±11.6 NH: 48.2% |
32.1%±13.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
11.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
79.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 31% below NH |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
19 min 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #47 of 120 in NH | — | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Newfound Area School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Plymouth Regional High School | None in town | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 12.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.