Compare towns
Bedford vs Windham vs Brookline
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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Brookline has the most affordable homes ($544k 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 | Windham | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
16,038 |
5,736Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+13% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4 NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
57.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Brookline 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±$12kLowest 69% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
| Windham and Brookline 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 |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$544,400±$38kLowest 35% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Lowest 41% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$2,500±$1k 68% above NH |
| Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Lowest 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2% NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Lowest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1993 14 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Brookline 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Windham School District | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.8Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.