Compare towns
Bedford vs Lee vs Exeter 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).
Lee has the youngest population (median age 42.9).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Lee | Exeter | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
4,576Lowest |
16,151 |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
42.9±1.9Lowest about the NH average |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Bedford and Amherst 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% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Lee 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% |
50.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
| Bedford and Amherst 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 |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
— | $1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
| Bedford and Exeter 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 |
$9,661 45% above NH |
$8,814Lowest 32% above NH |
$9,773 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Exeter 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% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
28 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Lee 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | None in town | Exeter High School | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 12.1 |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | 59 photos → | 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.