Compare towns
Bedford vs Henniker vs Stratham
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%).
Stratham has the most homeowners (92.6%).
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 | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
6,197Lowest |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% below NH |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
| Bedford and Stratham 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% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.5%±5.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Stratham 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% |
16.5%±6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Stratham 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% |
41.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH |
$95,206±$21kLowest 4% below NH |
$151,998±$20k 53% above NH |
| Bedford and Stratham 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 |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
$655,400±$36kHighest 63% above NH |
| Stratham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274 41% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
| Stratham and Bedford 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 |
$8,877Lowest 33% above NH |
$9,781 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3 NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
64.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Stratham 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 | #56 of 120 in NH | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Henniker School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— | — |
| 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.