Compare towns
Deerfield vs Bedford vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Lee has the most affordable homes ($353k 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 | Deerfield | Bedford | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,158Lowest |
23,746Highest |
5,719 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6 33% above U.S. |
45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
55.2±5.8Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Lee and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Deerfield and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14k 31% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$83,750±$13kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37k 25% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$352,700±$19kLowest 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,375±$212 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824 87% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$3,980Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.3%±21.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
18 min 31% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Deerfield 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 | #156 of 282 in MA | #7 of 120 in NH | #209 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | Bedford School District | Lee |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | Bedford High School | Lee Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
13.5Highest |
9.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 20 photos → |
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.