Compare towns
Plymouth vs Bedford vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plymouth has the most affordable homes ($292k median).
Bedford has the oldest population (median age 45).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Plymouth | Bedford | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,601Lowest |
23,746Highest |
15,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 24.6±3.4 43% below NH |
45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 12%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
63% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.7%±3.5 NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,288Lowest 6% below NH |
$9,803 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.8%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 31% below NH |
25 minHighest 5% below NH |
19 min 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #47 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Bedford School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Plymouth Regional High School | Bedford High School | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
13.5Highest |
12.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.