Compare towns
Manchester vs Mapleton vs Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
Towns like ManchesterNashua
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Manchester has the most renters (51.3% rent).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Manchester | Mapleton | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
1,884Lowest |
23,746 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bedford and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bedford and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Manchester and Mapleton 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 about the U.S. average |
$91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $365,600±$7k 10% above U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$37 11% above U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,922 90% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #115 of 120 in NH | — | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Manchester Memorial High School | None in town | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
— | 13.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 6 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.