What stands out worked out from the figures below

Derry has the most affordable homes ($432k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Derry	Bedford
People
Population	34,116Highest	23,746Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.6%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+10%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	40.3±1.6Lowest 7% below NH	45±2.2Highest 4% above NH
Kids under 18	20.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2%	22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2%
	Bedford and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.2%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1%	20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.4%Lowest NH: 40.6%	63%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.5Highest NH: 6%	4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6%
	Derry and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$108,944±$7kLowest 10% above NH	$167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$432,000±$17kLowest 7% above NH	$612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,547±$138Lowest 4% above NH	$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,103Lowest 22% above NH	$9,803Highest 47% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.6%±9Lowest NH: 48.2%	59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2%
	Bedford and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4%Highest NH: 7.2%	2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.2%Lowest NH: 72.8%	82.9%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Lowest 4 yrs newer than NH	1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 16% above NH	25 minLowest 5% below NH
Work from home	16%±2.8Lowest NH: 16.8%	27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#60 of 120 in NH	#7 of 120 in NH
School district	Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District	Bedford School District
High school in town	Pinkerton Academy	Bedford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.9Highest	13.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	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.