Compare towns
Bedford vs Manchester vs Exeter
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).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Manchester | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746 |
115,643Highest |
16,151Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Bedford 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% |
18%±1 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Manchester and Exeter 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 |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,564±$37Lowest 5% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
| 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 |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 5% below NH |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Manchester Memorial High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
14.3Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 6 photos → | 59 photos → |
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.