Compare towns
Bedford vs South Hampton vs Amherst
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 shortest commute (25 min average).
South Hampton has the most expensive homes ($661k 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 | South Hampton | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
984Lowest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.8% NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Lowest 4% above NH |
45.1±5.3 4% above NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
| Amherst and South Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
23.3%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| South Hampton and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63% NH: 40.6% |
52.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
| 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 69% above NH |
$152,500±$44kLowest 54% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
| 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±$26k 52% above NH |
$661,100±$45kHighest 64% above NH |
$537,600±$30kLowest 34% above NH |
| South Hampton and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,889±$489 27% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
| Bedford and South Hampton 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 |
$9,109Lowest 37% above NH |
$9,773 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
30%±40.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88.6% NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below NH |
28 min 6% above NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4 NH: 16.8% |
17%±3.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | South Hampton School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | None in town | Souhegan Coop 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.