Compare towns
Bedford vs Windham vs Manchester vs New Boston
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 most people working from home (27%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).
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 | Windham | Manchester | New Boston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746 |
16,038 |
115,643Highest |
6,165Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+14.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
38.8±3.4 10% below NH |
| Bedford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
18%±1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.2%±5.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and New Boston 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%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford and New Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
| 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±$12k 69% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$154,250±$25k 56% above NH |
| 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 52% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
$481,100±$59k 20% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274 41% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,564±$37 5% above NH |
$1,193±$111Lowest 20% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
$8,181 23% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
22.8%±20.5Lowest 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% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1989 10 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
36 minHighest 33% above NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.2%±6.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and New Boston 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 | #115 of 120 in NH | #21 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Windham School District | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | New Boston School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Windham High School | Manchester Memorial High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
12.8Lowest |
14.3Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.