Editing Bridgewater, New Hampshire

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Bridgewater, New Hampshire
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = 
|image_skyline            = BridgewaterNH TownOffices.jpg
|image_seal               = 
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Town hall
|image_flag               = 
|image_map                = Grafton-Bridgewater-NH.png
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Grafton County, New Hampshire|Grafton County]], [[New Hampshire]]
|settlement_type          = Town
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[New Hampshire]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in New Hampshire|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Grafton County, New Hampshire|Grafton]]
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Board of Selectmen]]
|leader_name              = {{ubl|Maurice Jenness Jr.|Terence Murphy|P. Wesley Morrill Jr.}}
|established_title        = [[Incorporation (municipal government)|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = 1788
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2021">{{cite web |title=2021 U.S. Gazetteer Files – New Hampshire |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2021_Gazetteer/2021_gaz_cousubs_33.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=November 19, 2021}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 56.2
|area_total_sq_mi         = 
|area_land_km2            = 55.7
|area_land_sq_mi          = 
|area_water_km2           = 0.5
|area_water_sq_mi         = 
|area_water_percent       = 0.97
|population_as_of         = 2020
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=0600000US3300907540&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=Bridgewater town, Grafton County, New Hampshire: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=November 19, 2021}}</ref>
|population_total         = 1160
|population_density_km2   = 20.8
|population_density_sq_mi = 
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = [[Eastern Daylight Time Zone|Eastern]]
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|coordinates              = {{coord|43|38|16|N|71|44|10|W|region:US-NH|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_m              = 195
|elevation_ft             = 640
|website                  = {{URL|www.bridgewater-nh.com}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]s
|postal_code              = 03222 ([[Bristol, New Hampshire|Bristol]])<br>03264 ([[Plymouth, New Hampshire|Plymouth]])
|area_code                = [[Area code 603|603]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 33-07540
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0873551
|footnotes                = 
}}
'''Bridgewater''' is a town in [[Grafton County, New Hampshire|Grafton County]], [[New Hampshire]], United States. The population was 1,160 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2020"/>

== History ==
The land comprising Bridgewater was originally part of a town known as "New Chester", which was separated into Bridgewater, [[Bristol, New Hampshire|Bristol]], [[Hill, New Hampshire|Hill]], [[Danbury, New Hampshire|Danbury]], and [[Wilmot, New Hampshire|Wilmot]]. The town name was chosen because many of the settlers were from [[Bridgewater, Massachusetts]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bridgewater New Hampshire Real Estate |url=https://www.best-nh-homes-real-estate.com/bridgewater-new-hampshire-community-profile.php |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210722181639/https://www.best-nh-homes-real-estate.com/bridgewater-new-hampshire-community-profile.php |archive-date=July 22, 2021 }}</ref>

Bridgewater originally included all of Bridgewater, Hill and Bristol. It was first settled in 1776, by Thomas Crawford. It was incorporated February 12, 1788.<ref name="1875Brid" />

In 1874, the Bridgewater station was served by the Montreal railroad.<ref name="1875Brid">[http://gedcomindex.com/Reference/New_Hampshire_1875/076.html Article in ''Statistics and Gazetteer of New-Hampshire'' (1875)]</ref>

== Geography ==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|56.2|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|55.7|sqkm|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|0.5|sqkm|order=flip}} are water, comprising 0.97% of the town.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2021"/> The highest point in Bridgewater is Peaked Hill, at {{convert|1905|ft|m}} above [[sea level]]. Bridgewater lies fully within the [[Merrimack River]] [[Drainage basin|watershed]].<ref name=watershed>{{cite book |title=Water Use in New Hampshire: An Activities Guide for Teachers |url=http://nh.water.usgs.gov/Publications/nh.intro.html |last=Foster |first=Debra H. |author2=Batorfalvy, Tatianna N. |author3= Medalie, Laura  |publisher=U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Geological Survey |year=1995}}</ref> The western town line follows the eastern shore of [[Newfound Lake]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=NH |first=Town of Bridgewater |title=Town of Bridgewater, NH |url=https://bridgewater-nh.com/ |access-date=October 19, 2022 |website=Town of Bridgewater, NH |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Demographics ==
{{US Census population
|1790= 281
|1800= 664
|1810= 1104
|1820= 727
|1830= 783
|1840= 747
|1850= 667
|1860= 560
|1870= 453
|1880= 384
|1890= 332
|1900= 244
|1910= 187
|1920= 199
|1930= 151
|1940= 226
|1950= 222
|1960= 293
|1970= 398
|1980= 606
|1990= 796
|2000= 974
|2010= 1083
|2020= 1160
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="Census 2020"/><ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |title=Census of Population and Housing |publisher=Census.gov |access-date=June 4, 2016 }}</ref>
}}
At the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] there were 974 people, 414 households, and 289 families living in the town.  The population density was {{convert|45.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 850 housing units at an average density of {{convert|40.0|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2000 census|racial makeup]] of the town was 99.08% White, 0.10% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.21% from other races, and 0.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.62%.<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>

Of the 414 households 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.6% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were non-families. 23.9% of households were one person and 12.3% were one person aged 65 or older.  The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.78.

The age distribution was 19.7% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 31.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% 65 or older.  The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.8 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.

The median household income was $50,662 and the median family income  was $54,722. Males had a median income of $33,250 versus $26,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,600.  About 6.1% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Bridgewater is within the [[Newfound Area School District]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sau4.org/centraloffice|title=Central Office|publisher=Newfound Area School District|access-date=April 11, 2020|archive-date=April 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411060441/http://www.sau4.org/centraloffice|url-status=dead}}</ref> Bridgewater-Hebron Village School is in Bridgewater. The district's secondary schools are Newfound Memorial Middle School, and [[Newfound Regional High School]] in [[Bristol, New Hampshire|Bristol]].

== References ==
{{portal|New Hampshire}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|www.bridgewater-nh.com}}
* [https://www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi/products/cp/profiles-htm/bridgewater.htm New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile]

{{Geographic location
 | Centre    = Bridgewater
 | North     = [[Plymouth, New Hampshire|Plymouth]]
 | Northeast = [[Ashland, New Hampshire|Ashland]]
 | East      = [[New Hampton, New Hampshire|New Hampton]]
 | Southeast = [[New Hampton, New Hampshire|New Hampton]]
 | South     = [[Bristol, New Hampshire|Bristol]]
 | Southwest = [[Bristol, New Hampshire|Bristol]]
 | West      = 
 | Northwest = [[Hebron, New Hampshire|Hebron]]
}}

{{Grafton County, New Hampshire}}
{{Merrimack River}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Grafton County, New Hampshire]]
[[Category:Towns in New Hampshire]]