What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).

New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bedford	New Castle
People
Population	23,746Highest	827Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10%Highest NH: +4.6%	+3.3%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	45±2.2Lowest 4% above NH	62.8±6Highest 45% above NH
Kids under 18	22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2%	12.9%±7.1Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	20.5%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1%	44.3%±16.1Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	63%Lowest NH: 40.6%	68.8%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.7%±2.1Highest NH: 6%	0.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$167,418±$12kLowest 69% above NH	$176,953±$29kHighest 79% above NH
	New Castle 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±$26kLowest 52% above NH	$1,701,300±$267kHighest 323% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,099±$274Lowest 41% above NH	$3,501Highest 135% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,803Highest 47% above NH	$8,509Lowest 28% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2%	0%±85.7Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Bedford and New Castle 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%	4.6%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8%	93%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH	1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 5% below NH	33 minHighest 22% above NH
Work from home	27%±3.4Lowest NH: 16.8%	40.1%±19.4Highest NH: 16.8%
	New Castle and Bedford 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	—
School district	Bedford School District	New Castle School District
High school in town	Bedford High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.