Compare towns
Bedford vs Rye vs Pelham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bedford has the highest household income ($167k).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k 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 | Rye | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
5,611Lowest |
14,449 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
+4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
55.1±3Highest 27% above NH |
41.5±2.7Lowest 4% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Bedford and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
61.5% NH: 40.6% |
40%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
| 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 69% above NH |
$140,655±$39k 42% above NH |
$135,956±$19kLowest 37% above NH |
| Bedford and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26k 52% above NH |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 155% above NH |
$552,600±$27kLowest 37% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,781±$156 19% above NH |
$1,425±$88Lowest 4% below NH |
| Bedford and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 47% above NH |
$7,519Lowest 13% above NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3 NH: 48.2% |
44.3%±16.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| 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 NH: 7.2% |
6.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
85.5% NH: 72.8% |
86.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1972Lowest 7 yrs older than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below NH |
29 min 8% above NH |
30 minHighest 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4 NH: 16.8% |
30.9%±7.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Rye 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 | #2 of 120 in NH | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Rye School District | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | None in town | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.