Compare towns
Hillsborough vs Amherst vs Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hillsborough has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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.
| Measure | Hillsborough | Amherst | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,980Lowest |
11,861 |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.9±4.6Lowest 6% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
45±2.2 4% above NH |
| Amherst and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bedford and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±3.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
63% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
| Bedford and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,495±$12kLowest 15% below NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
$167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH |
| Bedford and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,300±$16kLowest 32% below NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
$612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$390Lowest 20% below NH |
$1,462±$256 about the NH average |
$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,815Lowest 13% below NH |
$9,773 47% above NH |
$9,803Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±23.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Hillsborough and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 54% above NH |
33 min 22% above NH |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 14%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Bedford 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 | #97 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Hillsboro-Deering High School | Souhegan Coop High School | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
10.4 |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.