What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bedford has the most expensive homes ($612k median).

Bow has the most affordable homes ($507k 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.

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

Measure	Bedford	Bow
People
Population	23,746Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10%Highest NH: +4.6%	+9.4%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	45±2.2Highest 4% above NH	41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH
	Bedford and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.7%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2%	25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2%
	Bow and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1%	17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Bedford and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	63%Highest NH: 40.6%	60.3%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6%	5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6%
	Bow 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±$12kLowest 69% above NH	$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH
	Bow 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±$26kHighest 52% above NH	$506,500±$34kLowest 26% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH	$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,803Highest 47% above NH	$9,584Lowest 44% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2%	39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Bedford and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.7% NH: 7.2%	2.7% NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8%	87.5%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH	1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 5% below NH	27 minHighest about the NH average
Work from home	27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8%	22.7%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Bedford and Bow 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	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	Bedford School District	Bow School District
High school in town	Bedford High School	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5Highest	12.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.