Compare towns
Bedford vs Exeter vs Wolfeboro
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 highest household income ($167k).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Wolfeboro has the oldest population (median age 57).
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 | Wolfeboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
16,151 |
6,571Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Lowest 4% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
57±1.8Highest 32% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
34.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
45%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| 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 69% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$94,375±$22kLowest 5% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$546,500±$60k 36% above NH |
| Bedford and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH |
| Bedford and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 47% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$4,531Lowest 32% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| 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 NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
78.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 5% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
24 minLowest 11% below NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.9%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Wolfeboro 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 | #46 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Exeter High School | Kingswood Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.1 |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 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.