Compare towns
Exeter vs Pembroke 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
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
Pembroke has the most homeowners (90.1%).
Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Exeter | Pembroke | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Lowest |
18,382 |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.5±3.3 17% above U.S. |
45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bedford and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$146,285±$17k 81% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$586,500±$28k 76% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Lowest 31% above U.S. |
$2,464±$753Highest 74% above U.S. |
$2,099±$274 49% above U.S. |
| Pembroke and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$6,585Lowest 111% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Pembroke 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #82 of 282 in MA | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Pembroke | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Pembroke High School | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.3 |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 59 photos → | 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.