Compare towns
Manchester vs Concord vs Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
Towns like ManchesterNashua
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Concord has the most affordable homes ($351k 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.
| Measure | Manchester | Concord | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
44,375 |
23,746Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
40.7±1.3 6% below NH |
45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±1 NH: 18.2% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
18.7%±1.5 NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
42.3% NH: 40.6% |
63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Manchester and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,007±$2kLowest 18% below NH |
$84,902±$5k 14% below NH |
$167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $365,600±$7k 9% below NH |
$350,900±$13kLowest 13% below NH |
$612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$37 5% above NH |
$1,441±$43Lowest 3% below NH |
$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
$7,227 8% above NH |
$9,803Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6 NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±5.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.9% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
56.8% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1969 10 yrs older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below NH |
23 minLowest 14% below NH |
25 minHighest 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #115 of 120 in NH | #89 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Manchester Memorial High School | Concord High School | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
13.0Lowest |
13.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 6 photos → | 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.