Compare towns
Bedford vs Proctor vs Amherst
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Proctor has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Proctor | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
1,794Lowest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
42.4±6.4Lowest 9% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Amherst 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bedford and Amherst 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% |
22.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Proctor 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bedford and Amherst 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. |
$74,167±$12kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$209,900±$17kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$537,600±$30k 62% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,029±$202Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,462±$256 3% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$4,032Lowest 29% above U.S. |
$9,773 213% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Proctor 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% |
16.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst 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 | — | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
8.7Lowest |
10.4 |
| 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.