Compare towns
Bedford vs Henniker vs Somersworth
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).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Somersworth has the most affordable homes ($318k median).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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 | Henniker | Somersworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
6,197Lowest |
12,111 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
38.4±2.7 11% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.9%±4 NH: 18.2% |
| Bedford and Somersworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
14%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
31.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
4.9%±2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH |
$95,206±$21k 4% below NH |
$74,504±$13kLowest 25% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
$356,700±$49k 11% below NH |
$318,400±$23kLowest 21% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$1,477±$134 about the NH average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 47% above NH |
$8,877 33% above NH |
$6,805Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
56.3%±14.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Somersworth 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% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
11.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.5% NH: 72.8% |
57.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1974 5 yrs older than NH |
1967Lowest 12 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
26 minHighest 3% below NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
11.7%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 120 in NH | #56 of 120 in NH | #117 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Henniker School District | Somersworth School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | None in town | Somersworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| 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.