Compare towns
Bedford vs Middleton vs Pinehurst
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bedford has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Pinehurst has the most affordable homes ($624k median).
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 | Bedford | Middleton | Pinehurst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,727Highest |
9,816 |
6,845Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±1.6Highest 11% above MA |
43.1±2 8% above MA |
42.6±2Lowest 7% above MA |
| Bedford and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.8%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Bedford and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Pinehurst and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
34.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Bedford and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,400±$23kHighest 66% above MA |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
$146,250±$27kLowest 41% above MA |
| Bedford and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $898,500±$43kHighest 60% above MA |
$742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
$623,800±$22kLowest 11% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,622±$327Highest 49% above MA |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,946±$1k 10% above MA |
| Bedford and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,785 47% above MA |
$6,316Lowest 5% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±9.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
32%±58.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Bedford and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.5%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.7% MA: 62.5% |
97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
30 minHighest 3% above MA |
27 min 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 32.4%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Bedford | Middleton | — |
| High school in town | Bedford High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.