Compare towns
Bedford vs Brewer vs Pelham
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 highest household income ($167k).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Pelham has the most homeowners (86.7%).
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 | Brewer | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
9,652Lowest |
14,449 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Bedford and Pelham 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% |
22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brewer 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% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,425±$88 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$8,634 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham 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% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Pelham 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Brewer Public Schools | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Brewer High School | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
14.0Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.