What stands out worked out from the figures below

Epping has the most affordable homes ($437k median).

Bedford has the highest household income ($167k).

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	Epping	Bedford
People
Population	7,430Lowest	23,746Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.1%Highest NH: +4.6%	+10%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	45.1±3.5Highest 4% above NH	45±2.2Lowest 4% above NH
	Epping and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.7%±4.8Lowest NH: 18.2%	22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2%
	Bedford and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1%	20.5%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Epping and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37%Lowest NH: 40.6%	63%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±3.3Highest NH: 6%	4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6%
	Epping and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH	$167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$436,900±$35kLowest 9% above NH	$612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,742±$576Lowest 17% above NH	$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH
	Bedford and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,936Lowest 4% above NH	$9,803Highest 47% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2%	59.4%±15.3Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Epping and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.7%Highest NH: 7.2%	2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.3%Highest NH: 72.8%	82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Lowest 10 yrs newer than NH	1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 21% above NH	25 minLowest 5% below NH
Work from home	24%±6.9Lowest NH: 16.8%	27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8%
	Bedford and Epping 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	#77 of 120 in NH	#7 of 120 in NH
School district	Epping School District	Bedford School District
High school in town	Epping High School	Bedford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.3Lowest	13.5Highest
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.