Compare towns
Bedford vs Hanover vs Meredith
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 kids (22.7% under 18).
Hanover has the youngest population (median age 28.7).
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
11,685 |
6,758Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
| Hanover 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±$26k 52% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$480,100±$48kLowest 19% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274 41% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Hanover and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Bedford 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% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Hanover High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.