Compare towns
Bedford vs Eliot vs Ogunquit vs Manchester
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 highest household income ($167k).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% 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 | Eliot | Ogunquit | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746 |
7,146 |
1,379Lowest |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Eliot 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% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Manchester 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 107% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Bedford and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$365,600±$7kLowest 10% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
— | $1,564±$37Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,922 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Eliot 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | — | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | None in town | — | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Lowest |
— | — | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 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.