Compare towns
Bedford vs Merrimack vs Windham vs Hooksett
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 people working from home (27%).
Merrimack has the oldest housing (typical home built 1985).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
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 | Merrimack | Windham | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746 |
28,164Highest |
16,038 |
15,057Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
+4.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
41.5±2.2 4% below NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
| Bedford and Merrimack 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% |
22%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Bedford 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% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford and Hooksett 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% |
50.2% NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
$127,219±$16k 28% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$117,962±$11kLowest 19% above NH |
| Windham 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±$26k 52% above NH |
$458,600±$15k 14% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$407,000±$26kLowest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274 41% above NH |
$1,932±$147 30% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,661±$206Lowest 11% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803 47% above NH |
$7,345 10% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,554Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.9%±9.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Windham 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% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
88.9% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
21%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Windham 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 | #58 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Merrimack School District | Windham School District | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Merrimack High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.5Lowest |
12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.