Compare towns
Windham vs North Andover 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%).
North Andover has the most renters (30.2% rent).
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 | North Andover | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,038Lowest |
31,490Highest |
23,746 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
39.6±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
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 | 27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±2.1Lowest 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% |
17%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bedford and North Andover 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% |
61.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
11%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$140,670±$9kLowest 74% 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±$50k 117% above U.S. |
$732,900±$37kHighest 120% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26kLowest 84% above U.S. |
| North Andover and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$2,223±$223 57% above U.S. |
$2,099±$274Lowest 49% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,767Lowest 149% above U.S. |
$9,803 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and North Andover 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% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1990 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.3%±2.5Lowest 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 | #98 of 282 in MA | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | North Andover | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | North Andover High | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
13.3 |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.