Compare towns

Bedford vs Woonsocket vs Windham

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%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).

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.

MeasureBedfordWoonsocketWindham
People
Population
23,746
43,521Highest
16,038Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+10%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45±2.2Highest
16% above U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
41.1±2.9
6% above U.S.
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%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2
U.S.: 22%
27.4%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
Windham and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
20.5%±2.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
15.5%±2.6
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
63%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
62.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.7%±2.1
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.8%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Woonsocket 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
107% above U.S.
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
$189,583±$19kHighest
135% 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.
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
$723,300±$50kHighest
117% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$2,099±$274
49% above U.S.
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
$3,218±$350Highest
128% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,803
214% above U.S.
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
59.4%±15.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.2%±50.9
U.S.: 51.1%
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%
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
93.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1990
10 yrs newer than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1996Highest
16 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 minLowest
4% below U.S.
29 min
11% above U.S.
31 minHighest
17% above U.S.
Work from home
27%±3.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
21.9%±4.4
U.S.: 15.1%
Bedford and Windham 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 #37 of 38 in RI #13 of 120 in NH
School district Bedford School District RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Windham School District
High school in town Bedford High School Woonsocket High School Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school
13.5
15.2Highest
12.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet 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.