Compare towns
Bedford vs Dorset vs Dummerston
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%).
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
Dummerston has the most affordable homes ($335k 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 | Dorset | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
2,092 |
2,090Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
45.9±7.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
| Dorset and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dorset and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Dorset 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% |
72.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bedford and Dorset 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. |
$111,250±$40k 38% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21kLowest 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$569,200±$57k 71% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Bedford and Dorset 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. |
$1,420±$296 about the U.S. average |
$1,392±$126Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$7,489 140% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
74.4%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dorset 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
22 min 18% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dorset 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 | — | — |
| School district | Bedford School District | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| 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 |
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.