Compare towns
Windham vs Athol vs Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
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 | Windham | Athol | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,038 |
12,011Lowest |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.3±1.9 6% above U.S. |
45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bedford and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±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 | $189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$69,316±$5kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$167,418±$12k 107% above U.S. |
| Windham and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,150±$182Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$2,099±$274 49% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$9,803 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1990 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #256 of 282 in MA | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | Athol-Royalston | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Athol High | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
11.6Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.