Compare towns
Manchester vs Exeter 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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Exeter | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
16,151Lowest |
23,746 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+10% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38±1Lowest 12% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
45±2.2 4% above NH |
| Exeter and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±1 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±0.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
| 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+ | 34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Manchester and Exeter 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 |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $365,600±$7kLowest 9% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$37Lowest 5% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
| Bedford and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,922Lowest 11% below NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$9,803Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Exeter 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% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
25 minHighest 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #115 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Manchester Memorial High School | Exeter High School | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
12.1Lowest |
13.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 6 photos → | 59 photos → | 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.