Compare towns
Bedford vs Durham vs Wilder
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
15,080 |
3,087Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
45.5±8.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Wilder 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 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,142±$451Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803 214% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,505Lowest 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Bedford 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% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Oyster River High School | — |
| 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 |
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.