Compare towns
Bedford vs Williston vs Windham vs Exeter
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 most people working from home (27%).
Williston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Windham has the most kids (27.4% under 18).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% 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 | Williston | Windham | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
10,144Lowest |
16,038 |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Williston 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% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12k 107% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Windham and Bedford 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. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274 49% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803 214% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Exeter 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% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #13 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Windham School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | None in town | Windham High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 12.8 |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 59 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.