Compare towns
Bedford vs Mapleton vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bedford has the highest household income ($167k).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Mapleton | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
1,884Lowest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bedford and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mapleton 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±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Meredith 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.