Compare towns
Bedford vs Norwich vs Windham vs Merrimack
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 most people working from home (27%).
Norwich has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Merrimack has the most affordable homes ($459k 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 | Norwich | Windham | Merrimack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746 |
3,640Lowest |
16,038 |
28,164Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
40.8±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2.2 7% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bedford and Merrimack are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63% U.S.: 35.7% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Merrimack and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12k 107% above U.S. |
$140,313±$12k 74% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$127,219±$16kLowest 58% above U.S. |
| 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 84% above U.S. |
$637,500±$76k 92% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$458,600±$15kLowest 38% above U.S. |
| Windham and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274 49% above U.S. |
$1,460±$322Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,932±$147 37% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803 214% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,345Lowest 135% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.9%±9.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #1 of 70 in VT | #13 of 120 in NH | #58 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Norwich School District | Windham School District | Merrimack School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | None in town | Windham High School | Merrimack High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 12.8 |
12.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.