Compare towns
Portsmouth vs Windham vs Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Portsmouth | Windham | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,545 |
16,038Lowest |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+10% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±2 about the NH average |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
45±2.2Highest 4% above NH |
| Bedford and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Portsmouth and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
63% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
| Bedford and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$167,418±$12k 69% above 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 | $688,500±$39k 71% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$612,100±$26kLowest 52% above NH |
| Windham and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,869±$111Lowest 25% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$2,099±$274 41% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,803 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±7.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest 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 | 6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Portsmouth 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Portsmouth School District | Windham School District | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Portsmouth High School | Windham High School | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.8 |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.