Compare towns
Bedford vs Reading vs Exeter
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).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k 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 | Reading | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746 |
25,612Highest |
16,151Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Reading 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% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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. |
$165,912±$13k 106% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Reading 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. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,991±$273 41% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Lowest 31% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$9,320 199% above U.S. |
$8,814Lowest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Exeter 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Reading | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Reading Memorial High | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.