Compare towns
Bedford vs Stratham vs Exeter vs Manchester
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).
Stratham has the most homeowners (92.6%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
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 | Stratham | Exeter | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746 |
7,754Lowest |
16,151 |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
| 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 NH: 18.2% |
23.5%±5.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1 NH: 18.2% |
| Stratham 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 NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Stratham 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% |
69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Manchester and Exeter 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 |
$151,998±$20k 53% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
| Bedford and Stratham 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 |
$655,400±$36kHighest 63% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
| Stratham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274 41% above NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,564±$37Lowest 5% above NH |
| Stratham and Bedford 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 |
$9,781 47% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3 NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
92.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
25 min 7% below NH |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Stratham 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 | #43 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | None in town | Exeter High School | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— | 12.1Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 6 photos → |
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.