Compare towns
Bedford vs Bath vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Bath | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
8,815Lowest |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Bath and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bath 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±$12k 107% above U.S. |
$69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Windham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
$310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274 49% above U.S. |
$1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803 214% above U.S. |
$3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Windham 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Morse High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
14.8Highest |
12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.