What stands out worked out from the figures below

Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).

Bedford has the most kids (22.7% under 18).

Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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	Durham	Bedford
People
Population	10,681Lowest	23,746Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.8%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+10%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH	45±2.2Highest 4% above NH
Kids under 18	6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2%	22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1%	20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	75.4%Highest NH: 40.6%	63%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6%	4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$112,070±$25kLowest 13% above NH	$167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$498,000±$45kLowest 24% above NH	$612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH	$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH	$9,803Lowest 47% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.4%±19.2Lowest NH: 48.2%	59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2%
	Bedford and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.4%Highest NH: 7.2%	2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8%	82.9%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH	1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 36% below NH	25 minHighest 5% below NH
Work from home	15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8%	27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#9 of 120 in NH	#7 of 120 in NH
School district	—	Bedford School District
High school in town	—	Bedford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	13.5
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.