Compare towns
Bedford vs Dover vs Keene vs Windham
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%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Dover | Keene | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746 |
33,364Highest |
22,939 |
16,038Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
| Bedford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Bedford 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% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford and Keene 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% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Windham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26k 52% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274 41% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803 47% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Windham 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% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
55.1% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Windham 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #81 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Dover School District | Keene School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Dover Senior High School | Keene High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.7 |
12.3Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.