Compare towns
Bedford vs Canaan vs Exeter
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 highest household income ($167k).
Canaan has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Canaan | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
3,811Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
-2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
44.4±3.7Lowest about the NH average |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
19.1%±4.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter 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 NH: 40.6% |
28.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
7%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Canaan and Exeter 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 69% above NH |
$81,583±$6kLowest 18% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
$254,000±$26kLowest 37% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,140±$90Lowest 24% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
| Bedford and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 47% above NH |
$5,985Lowest 10% below NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3 NH: 48.2% |
74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Canaan 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% |
13.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
77.3% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
30 minHighest 12% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 120 in NH | #83 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
10.3Lowest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.