Compare towns
Hudson vs Bedford vs Windham vs Salem
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hudson has the most affordable homes ($439k median).
Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Salem has the most renters (24.4% rent).
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 | Hudson | Bedford | Windham | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,557 |
23,746 |
16,038Lowest |
30,964Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.7±1.9Highest 6% above NH |
45±2.2 4% above NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
44.6±2.7 3% above NH |
| Hudson and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.8%±2.1 NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.6%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Hudson and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
38.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1 NH: 6% |
| Hudson and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,213±$6k 25% above NH |
$167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$110,490±$9kLowest 12% above NH |
| Windham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $438,900±$11kLowest 9% above NH |
$612,100±$26k 52% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$473,300±$16k 18% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,735±$123 16% above NH |
$2,099±$274 41% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,625±$146Lowest 9% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,636Lowest about the NH average |
$9,803 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,992 5% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.3%±7.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±9.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6% NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above NH |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
29 min 9% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
16.3%±2.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Windham 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 | #63 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #38 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hudson School District | Bedford School District | Windham School District | Salem School District |
| High school in town | Alvirne High School | Bedford High School | Windham High School | Salem High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
13.5Highest |
12.8 |
11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.