Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Stratham vs Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Stratham has the most homeowners (92.6%).
Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
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 | Bellows Falls | Stratham | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
7,754 |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bellows Falls and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$2,099±$274 49% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$9,781 214% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Stratham 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 | — | #43 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.