Compare towns
Bedford vs Dover vs Durham
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 homeowners (82.9%).
Dover has the most affordable homes ($437k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Dover | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746 |
33,364Highest |
10,681Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63% NH: 40.6% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803 47% above NH |
$8,249Lowest 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Durham 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% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
53.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 5% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Dover School District | — |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Dover Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.