Bridgewater

Grafton County•Lakes Region•Population: 1,160

Overview

Bridgewater is a small, rural town in Grafton County near Newfound Lake, with forested hills and a modest population. The town has no significant commercial center of its own.

Bridgewater's proximity to Newfound Lake and Bristol provides recreational access without lakefront costs, while the surrounding hills offer hiking. The town's rural roads connect scattered residential neighborhoods.

Housing in Bridgewater remains affordable, drawing families and retirees who want Newfound Lake proximity at a lower cost than lakefront towns.

Pros & Cons

✓ Pros

•Near Newfound Lake
•Affordable
•Rural character
•Quiet

✗ Cons

•No downtown
•Limited services
•Small population

Cost of Owning Here

Official property tax rates published by the NH Department of Revenue Administration, plus estimated tax bills for Bridgewater.

2025 Local Tax Rate

$6.35

per $1,000 assessed value

2025 Effective (Equalized) Rate

$5.14

Equalization ratio: 81%

Municipal

$1.71

Local School

$2.46

State Education

$1.15

County

$1.03

Why "Effective Rate" is a better comparison

New Hampshire towns do not all assess property at the same percentage of market value. The state publishes an annual equalization ratio for every municipality showing how close local assessments are to full market value. A town that assesses homes at only 64% of market value will show an artificially high tax rate compared to a town that assesses at 100%. Multiplying the local rate by the equalization ratio produces an effective (equalized) rate that can be fairly compared across any two towns in the state.

Year	Total Rate	Effective Rate	Municipal	Local School	State Ed.	County
2025	$6.35	$5.14	$1.71	$2.46	$1.15	$1.03

Source: NH DRA

Example Tax Bills for 2025

Home Value	Estimated Annual Tax	Estimated Monthly
$250,000	$1,588	$132
$350,000	$2,223	$185
$500,000	$3,175	$265
$750,000	$4,763	$397
$1,000,000	$6,350	$529

Estimates calculated using the 2025 local tax rate of $6.35 per $1,000 of assessed value. Actual tax bills depend on your property's specific assessed value and any exemptions or credits you may qualify for.

Open Full Calculator →Compare With Other Towns →View Statewide Rankings →

Climate & Environment

Summer Avg High

77.6°F

Winter Avg High

32.8°F

Annual Snowfall

62.4 in

Annual Rainfall

49.4 in

Sunny Days/Year

261

Data source: Open-Meteo / ERA5 • Updated 7/3/2026

Transportation & Commute

Commute to Major Cities

Boston

108 mi

~130 min drive

Manchester

58 mi

~72 min drive

Portsmouth

100 mi

~122 min drive

Concord

41 mi

~52 min drive

Data source: OpenRouteService / OpenStreetMap • Updated 7/3/2026

Recreation & Outdoors

Outdoor Recreation Score

24/100

Trail Miles

15.1

Boat Launches

State Parks

Winter & Camping

Snowmobile Trails:15 miles

XC Ski Trails:0 miles

Campgrounds:1

Economy & Demographics

💰Income

Median Household Income

$77,500

Per Capita Income

$50,433

Median Family Income

$89,583

🏠Housing Costs

Median Home Value

$324,200

Median Rent

$894/mo

Homeownership Rate

79.92%

💼Employment

Unemployment Rate

1.35%

In Labor Force

592

Work From Home

1.23%

🎓Education

Bachelor's Degree or Higher

21.49%

Total with Degree

202

🚗Commute

Work From Home

1.23%

👥Demographics

Median Age

55.6 years

Avg Household Size

2.32 people

Data source: Census ACS 2022 (5-Year) • Census Data Year: 2022 • Updated 7/3/2026

Condo Communities in Bridgewater

one registered condo association — offering active low-maintenance living options.

One condo association▼

🏢Bridgewater Ridge Homeowners Association

Median Income

$112k

boatersretirees

Compare Bridgewater with Other Towns

See how Bridgewater stacks up against other NH communities.

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