Compare towns
Bedford vs Cornish vs Grantham
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%).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Grantham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14%).
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 | Cornish | Grantham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
1,816Lowest |
3,465 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+14%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Lowest 4% above NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
50.4±7.5 16% above NH |
| Cornish and Grantham 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% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.1%±6.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Bedford and Grantham 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% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
17%±6.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±6Highest NH: 6% |
| Grantham 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±$12kHighest 69% above NH |
$91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$106,403±$54k 7% above NH |
| Bedford and Grantham 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 |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$343,100±$39k 15% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 47% above NH |
$5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$7,605 14% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
— |
| Bedford and Cornish 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% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.1% NH: 72.8% |
100%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1980Lowest 1 yr newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 5% below NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
23 minLowest 16% below NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
13.8%±6.2 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 120 in NH | — | #6 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Cornish School District | Grantham School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— | — |
| 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.