What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bedford has the highest household income ($167k).

Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bedford	Wells
People
Population	23,746Highest	11,713Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S.	53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S.
Kids under 18	22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22%	18%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Bedford and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	63%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bedford and Wells 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.	$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S.	$485,300±$23kLowest 46% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S.	$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,803Highest 214% above U.S.	$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bedford and Wells 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%	6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S.	1989Lowest 9 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 4% below U.S.	28 minHighest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#7 of 120 in NH	#22 of 133 in ME
School district	Bedford School District	Wells-Ogunquit CSD
High school in town	Bedford High School	Wells High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5Highest	11.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	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.