Compare towns
Bedford vs Exeter vs Lyme vs Ogunquit
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).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
Lyme has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Exeter | Lyme | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
16,151 |
1,710 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bedford and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
— |
| Bedford and Exeter 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. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest 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% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Lyme 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Bedford School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Lyme School District | — |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Exeter High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.