Compare towns
Bedford vs Brookline vs Durham vs Windham
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%).
Brookline has the most homeowners (95.1%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Brookline | Durham | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
5,736Lowest |
15,080 |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
+13% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63% NH: 40.6% |
57.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
$171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
$124,056±$21kLowest 25% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Windham and Brookline 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 |
$544,400±$38k 35% above NH |
$504,300±$41kLowest 25% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274 41% above NH |
$2,500±$1k 68% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Lowest 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3 NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
1993 14 yrs newer than NH |
1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Brookline 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Brookline School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | None in town | Oyster River High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 12.3Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.