Compare towns
Bedford vs Dracut vs Needham vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dracut has the youngest population (median age 41.7).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
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 | Dracut | Needham | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746 |
32,574Highest |
32,459 |
16,151Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter 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% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12k 107% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274 49% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| Needham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803 214% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Exeter 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% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Needham 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 | #201 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Dracut | Needham | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Dracut Senior High | Needham High | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.9 |
11.9Lowest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.