Compare towns
Bow vs Wilder 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
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Bedford has the most expensive homes ($612k 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 | Bow | Wilder | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
3,087Lowest |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
| Wilder and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilder and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$167,418±$12k 107% above U.S. |
| Bow and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,142±$451Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$5,505Lowest 76% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | — | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | — | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| 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.