Compare towns
Bedford vs Bow vs Hampton Falls vs Newington
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 the most people working from home (27%).
Bow has the most affordable homes ($507k median).
Hampton Falls has the oldest population (median age 49.5).
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k 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 | Bow | Hampton Falls | Newington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
8,335 |
2,328 |
939Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+7.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
49.5±7.3Highest 14% above NH |
48.7±10.1 12% above NH |
| Hampton Falls and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.1%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
15.7%±4.9Lowest 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%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
28%±11Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Newington and Hampton Falls 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% NH: 40.6% |
54.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.8 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±$12k 69% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$166,157±$14k 68% above NH |
$145,833±$46kLowest 47% 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±$26k 52% above NH |
$506,500±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
$772,600±$76k 92% above NH |
$861,600±$46kHighest 114% above NH |
| Newington and Hampton Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274 41% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,852±$475 24% above NH |
$2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
| Newington and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803 47% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,081Lowest 9% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
27.2%±22.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
62.9%±44Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Newington and Bedford 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% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
86.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
32 minHighest 21% above NH |
23 minLowest 13% below NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
21.8%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
8%±2.4Lowest 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 | Hampton Falls School District | Newington School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Bow High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.8Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.