What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has the most affordable homes ($377k median).

Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Reading	Bedford
People
Population	699Lowest	23,746Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S.	45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S.
	Reading and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bedford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	63%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bedford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S.	$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$377,200±$72kLowest 13% above U.S.	$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S.	$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,754Lowest 84% above U.S.	$9,803Highest 214% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	59.4%±15.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Reading and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.	1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 25% above U.S.	25 minLowest 4% below U.S.
Work from home	22.9%±10.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bedford and Reading 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	—	#7 of 120 in NH
School district	Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76	Bedford School District
High school in town	None in town	Bedford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	13.5
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.