Living in Bedford, NH

Hillsborough County

Bedford is a real, genuinely affluent southern New Hampshire town of approximately 23,746-23,973 residents, with a cited 2024 median household income of approximately $167,418. This record discloses a genuinely important, honest nuance rather than repeating an unverified superlative: while Bedford is often characterized as among New Hampshire's most affluent towns, a cited 2018-2022 ACS-based statewide ranking places Bedford around 12th by median household income, behind smaller Seacoast-region and outer-Boston-suburb communities -- genuinely affluent, but not literally the state's single wealthiest town. Bedford's schools run genuinely, substantially strong: the Bedford School District ranks 7th of 158 New Hampshire districts (5-star SchoolDigger rating), and Bedford High School ranks 3rd in New Hampshire per U.S. News. Housing runs genuinely, substantially expensive -- a cited year-to-date median sale price of approximately $815,000, roughly double the national median comparison figure, the highest among the four towns this record compared directly. Bedford sits directly adjacent to Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, and hosts real, current Elliot Health System and Catholic Medical Center outpatient facilities, though this record discloses that Bedford does not appear to host a full-service inpatient hospital of its own.

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Housing

Median sale price$815,000

Taxes

Local effective property tax rate1.58%

Not independently sourced at the Hillsborough County level this session. New Hampshire carries no income tax statewide. See the New Hampshire hub page for the statewide property tax context -- do not treat that figure as Bedford-specific.

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The tradeoffs

Pros

Real, top-tier schools (Bedford School District 7th of 158 NH districts; Bedford High School 3rd in NH). Genuine, substantial affluence (median household income ~$167,418) and a comparatively favorable property tax rate within New Hampshire (~1.58%, below the state median). No state income tax and no general sales tax. Direct adjacency to Manchester-Boston Regional Airport. Real, current local outpatient healthcare presence (Elliot Health System, Catholic Medical Center).

Cons

Genuinely, substantially expensive housing -- a cited median sale price near $815,000, the highest among comparable southern NH towns this record reviewed, and roughly double the national median. A real, disclosed data gap on confidently sourced, dated crime statistics. No full-service inpatient hospital within Bedford itself. This record also discloses directly that Bedford, while genuinely affluent, is not New Hampshire's single most affluent town by a cited statewide income ranking -- a real, honest correction to an often-repeated superlative.

Who this fits

Best for: Best fits families prioritizing top-tier schools and willing to pay a real, substantial housing premium, professionals who value direct airport proximity, and movers who can absorb New Hampshire's property-tax structure in exchange for no income or sales tax.

Maybe not for you if: Probably not the right fit for movers seeking New Hampshire's most affordable housing -- Bedford's own cited median sale price runs roughly double the national median. Those needing confidently sourced, dated crime statistics, or a full-service hospital inside town limits, should also weigh this record's disclosed gaps directly.

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-28. Independent research; see individual metric entries above for source attribution. This is not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.