Compare towns
Barnstead vs Bedford vs Alton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnstead has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).
Alton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
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 | Barnstead | Bedford | Alton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,994Lowest |
23,746Highest |
5,994 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10% NH: +4.6% |
+12.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1Lowest about the NH average |
45±2.2 4% above NH |
53.7±3.2Highest 24% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5 NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.4%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bedford and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±4.8 NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.1%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Alton and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
35.8% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
0.8%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Barnstead and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,660±$12kLowest 13% above NH |
$167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH |
$113,715±$19k 15% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH |
$612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
$430,400±$37k 7% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$75Lowest 6% below NH |
$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,003 10% below NH |
$9,803Highest 47% above NH |
$4,183Lowest 37% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.7%±27.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above NH |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
33 minHighest 24% above NH |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.1%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #111 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH | #72 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barnstead School District | Bedford School District | Prospect Mountain JMA School District · Alton School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bedford High School | Prospect Mountain High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.