Compare towns
Bedford vs Dover vs Sullivan
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 highest household income ($167k).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Sullivan has the most affordable homes ($237k 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 | Dover | Sullivan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746 |
33,364Highest |
687Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
-2.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
46.6±6.5Highest 8% above NH |
| Sullivan and Bedford 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% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
28.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.9%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Dover 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 |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$106,667±$20k 8% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$236,500±$29kLowest 41% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,225±$275Lowest 18% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 47% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$5,099Lowest 24% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
40%±84.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Dover 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%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
32 minHighest 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
4.2%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 120 in NH | #64 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 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.