Compare towns
Bedford vs Stratham vs Townsend
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Stratham has the most homeowners (92.6%).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k 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 | Stratham | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
7,754Lowest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Stratham 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% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stratham 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% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend 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. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kLowest 51% above U.S. |
| 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 84% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| 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 49% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| 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 214% above U.S. |
$9,781 214% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bedford School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 13.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.