Compare towns
Bedford vs Danvers vs Amherst
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Danvers has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Danvers | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746 |
28,098Highest |
11,861Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Danvers 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% |
17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bedford and Amherst 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% |
22.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Danvers 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bedford and Danvers 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. |
$125,395±$10kLowest 55% above U.S. |
$153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$537,600±$30kLowest 62% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$2,076±$192 47% above U.S. |
$1,462±$256Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$6,654Lowest 113% above U.S. |
$9,773 213% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Danvers 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% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst and Bedford 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 | #91 of 282 in MA | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | — | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | — | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 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.