Compare towns
Bedford vs Barnstead vs Amherst
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Barnstead has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Barnstead | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
4,994Lowest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7% NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
42.8±3.1Lowest about the NH average |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
21%±5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Bedford and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±4.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Barnstead and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63% NH: 40.6% |
30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest 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 | $167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH |
$111,660±$12kLowest 13% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
| Bedford and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
$362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,395±$75Lowest 6% below NH |
$1,462±$256 about the NH average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 47% above NH |
$6,003Lowest 10% below NH |
$9,773 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
47.6%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest 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 | 2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.4% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below NH |
31 min 16% above NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4 NH: 16.8% |
13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 120 in NH | #111 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Barnstead School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| 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.