Compare towns
Windham vs Bow vs Dummerston 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%).
Dummerston has the most affordable homes ($335k median).
Bedford has the most renters (17.1% rent).
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 | Bow | Dummerston | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,038 |
8,335 |
2,090Lowest |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Bedford 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% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Bow 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% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Bedford 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% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Bedford 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. |
$172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12k 107% above U.S. |
| Windham and Bow 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. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,099±$274 49% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$9,803 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 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 | 2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 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 |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Dummerston 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | — | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | Bow School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Bow High School | None in town | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
12.8Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.