Compare towns
Bedford vs Bow vs Eliot
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 expensive homes ($612k median).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
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 | Bow | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
8,335 |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot 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% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$12k 107% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
| 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 84% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kLowest 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bedford School District | Bow School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.8Lowest |
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| 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.