Compare towns
Manchester vs Ogunquit 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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Ogunquit | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 115,643Highest |
1,379Lowest |
23,746 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±1 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Manchester and Bedford 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 |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $365,600±$7kLowest 10% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$37Lowest 11% above U.S. |
— | $2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,922 90% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4 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 | — | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Manchester Memorial High School | — | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
— | 13.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.