Compare towns
Pembroke vs Windham vs Bedford vs Northfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pembroke has the most renters (32.6% rent).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).
Northfield has the most affordable homes ($289k median).
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 | Pembroke | Windham | Bedford | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,438 |
16,038 |
23,746Highest |
4,971Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+10% NH: +4.6% |
+0.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.3 3% below NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
42.6±5.1 about the NH average |
| Bedford and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
20.3%±4.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.2%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Bedford and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.2% NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
23.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
5.1%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Northfield and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,519±$22kLowest 10% below NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
$92,917±$15k 6% below 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 | $371,500±$20k 8% below NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$612,100±$26k 52% above NH |
$288,500±$33kLowest 28% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$354 18% below NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$2,099±$274 41% above NH |
$1,076±$182Lowest 28% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,589 14% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,803 47% above NH |
$5,097Lowest 24% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±21.8 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
24.1%±14.1Lowest 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 | 15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
71.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 8% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 17%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
6.9%±3.6Lowest 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 | #85 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH | #109 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pembroke School District | Windham School District | Bedford School District | Winnisquam Regional School District |
| High school in town | Pembroke Academy | Windham High School | Bedford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
12.8Lowest |
13.5Highest |
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| 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.