Compare towns
Bedford vs Chester vs Goffstown
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%).
Chester has the most homeowners (97.7%).
Goffstown has the most affordable homes ($377k median).
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 | Chester | Goffstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
5,300Lowest |
18,513 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.7% NH: +4.6% |
+5.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
41.3±3.1Lowest 5% below NH |
| Chester 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% |
19.6%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
16%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bedford and Chester 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% |
17.4%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
19%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford and Goffstown 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% |
41.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
42.8% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
14.5%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH |
$142,212±$19k 44% above NH |
$113,958±$12kLowest 15% above NH |
| Bedford and Chester 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 |
$552,300±$42k 37% above NH |
$377,400±$20kLowest 6% below NH |
| Bedford and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
— | $1,231±$161Lowest 17% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 47% above NH |
$8,464 27% above NH |
$6,941Lowest 4% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
58.1%±20 NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Goffstown 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% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
6.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1982Lowest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below NH |
35 minHighest 31% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
13.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 120 in NH | #90 of 120 in NH | #35 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Chester School District | Goffstown School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | None in town | Goffstown High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 12.6Lowest |
| 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.