Compare towns
Bedford vs Durham vs Newington
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 kids (22.7% under 18).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k median).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Durham | Newington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
15,080 |
939Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
48.7±10.1Highest 12% above NH |
| Newington 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% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
15.7%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Bedford and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
28%±11Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Newington 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% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
62.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH |
$124,056±$21kLowest 25% above NH |
$145,833±$46k 47% above NH |
| Bedford and Newington 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 |
$504,300±$41kLowest 25% above NH |
$861,600±$46kHighest 114% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274 41% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
$2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
| Newington and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,081Lowest 9% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
62.9%±44 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Newington 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% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 5% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
23 min 13% below NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
8%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bedford School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Newington School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.