Compare towns
Windham vs Reading 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%).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Bedford has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Reading | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,038Lowest |
25,612Highest |
23,746 |
| 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. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Reading 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% |
22.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Reading 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% |
20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest 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. |
$165,912±$13kLowest 106% 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. |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26kLowest 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,991±$273Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$2,099±$274 49% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,320Lowest 199% above U.S. |
$9,803 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest 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% |
3.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1990 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Bedford 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | Reading | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Reading Memorial High | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.1Lowest |
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.