Compare towns
Bedford vs Goffstown vs Ogunquit vs Exeter
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).
Goffstown has the most affordable homes ($377k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% 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 | Goffstown | Ogunquit | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
18,513 |
1,379Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
41.3±3.1Lowest 6% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.5%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$113,958±$12k 41% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| 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. |
$377,400±$20kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,231±$161Lowest 13% below U.S. |
— | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| 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 214% above U.S. |
$6,941 123% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.1%±20 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 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% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 120 in NH | #35 of 120 in NH | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Goffstown School District | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Goffstown High School | — | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.6 |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 59 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.