Compare towns
Bedford vs Bow vs Hanover vs Wilder
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%).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
8,335 |
11,685 |
3,087Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
45.5±8.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Wilder 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% |
14.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest 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% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12k 107% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36k 110% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Bow and Hanover 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. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274 49% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,142±$451Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Hanover and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803 214% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,505Lowest 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bedford School District | Bow School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | — |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Bow High School | Hanover High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.8 |
10.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.