What stands out worked out from the figures below

Attleboro has the most affordable homes ($448k median).

Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Attleboro	Bedford
People
Population	46,762Highest	23,746Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.8±1.4Lowest about the U.S. average	45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21.9%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bedford and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	63%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Attleboro and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$98,954±$6kLowest 23% above U.S.	$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$448,100±$13kLowest 35% above U.S.	$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,590±$83Lowest 13% above U.S.	$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,366Lowest 72% above U.S.	$9,803Highest 214% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bedford and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	66.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S.	1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 16% above U.S.	25 minLowest 4% below U.S.
Work from home	14.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#185 of 282 in MA	#7 of 120 in NH
School district	Attleboro	Bedford School District
High school in town	Attleboro High	Bedford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	15.3Highest	13.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.