Compare towns
Bedford vs Jaffrey vs Bow
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).
Jaffrey has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
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 | Jaffrey | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
5,448Lowest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-2.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
42.9±3.9 about the NH average |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
| Bedford and Jaffrey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.1%±5.1 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Jaffrey 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% |
18.5%±3.8 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford and Jaffrey 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% |
31.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
3.1%±2.4Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Bedford 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 |
$92,330±$18kLowest 7% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% 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 |
$245,500±$27kLowest 39% below NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$962±$202Lowest 35% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 47% above NH |
$6,196Lowest 7% below NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
45.7%±23 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Jaffrey 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%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
81.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
25 minLowest 8% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
7.5%±4.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Bow 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 | #87 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Conant Middle High School (H) | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
21.3Highest |
12.8Lowest |
| 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.