Compare towns
Bedford vs Bow vs Meredith
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 expensive homes ($612k median).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
8,335 |
6,758Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest 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% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest 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 |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below 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±$34k 26% above NH |
$480,100±$48kLowest 19% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 47% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Meredith 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% |
7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Meredith 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 | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Bow School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Bow High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.8 |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.