What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k median).

Bedford has the most expensive homes ($612k 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.

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

Measure	Windham	Bedford
People
Population	19,188Lowest	23,746Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S.	45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S.
	Bedford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bedford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	63%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bedford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,934±$14kLowest 34% above U.S.	$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S.	$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S.	$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S.	$9,803Highest 214% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bedford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Lowest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the U.S. average	25 minLowest 4% below U.S.
Work from home	19%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#95 of 133 in ME	#7 of 120 in NH
School district	RSU 14	Bedford School District
High school in town	Windham High School	Bedford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Lowest	13.5Highest
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.