Compare towns
Bedford vs Reading vs Pelham
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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).
Pelham has the most affordable homes ($553k 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 | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746 |
25,612Highest |
14,449Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Reading 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% |
22%±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%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading 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% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%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% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham 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. |
$135,956±$19kLowest 68% 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. |
$552,600±$27kLowest 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,991±$273 41% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
| 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. |
$8,634Lowest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Bedford 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% |
3.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Lowest 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 | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Reading | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Reading Memorial High | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.1 |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.