Compare towns
Bedford vs Waitsfield vs Manchester
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 highest household income ($167k).
Waitsfield has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
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 | Waitsfield | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746 |
1,918Lowest |
115,643Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
44.3±5.3 14% above U.S. |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Bedford and Waitsfield 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% |
23.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Waitsfield 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% |
28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waitsfield 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% |
63.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Manchester 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. |
$84,375±$34k 5% above U.S. |
$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$422,400±$92k 27% above U.S. |
$365,600±$7kLowest 10% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,200±$821Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,564±$37 11% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$6,208 99% above U.S. |
$5,922Lowest 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Manchester 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% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Waitsfield 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 | — | #115 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | None in town | Manchester Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.