Compare towns
Bedford vs Hampstead vs Bow vs Amherst
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 most expensive homes ($612k median).
Hampstead has the most renters (17.9% rent).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Hampstead | Bow | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
9,102 |
8,335Lowest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
45.3±6.1 5% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±4Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
| Hampstead and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63% NH: 40.6% |
44.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
$112,348±$18kLowest 13% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
| Bow and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
$521,100±$45k 29% above NH |
$506,500±$34kLowest 26% above NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,299±$149Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,462±$256 about the NH average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 47% above NH |
$8,634Lowest 30% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$9,773 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Hampstead 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% |
3.8% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
82.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below NH |
30 min 13% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4 NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Bedford 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 | #49 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Hampstead School District | Bow School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | None in town | Bow High School | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 12.8 |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.