Compare towns
Windham vs Charlton 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%).
Charlton has the most affordable homes ($428k 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 | Charlton | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,038 |
13,435Lowest |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43±4 11% above U.S. |
45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Charlton 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% |
24.7%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Charlton 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% |
18%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bedford and Charlton 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% |
37.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Charlton 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. |
$117,587±$8kLowest 46% above 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. |
$427,500±$19kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,381±$415Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,099±$274 49% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,617Lowest 48% above U.S. |
$9,803 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.3%±9.3Lowest 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% |
2.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Lowest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±4.2Lowest 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 | #133 of 282 in MA | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | Dudley-Charlton Reg · Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School Distric | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
9.7Lowest |
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.