Bedford, NH

Located 50 miles North of Boston in New Hampshire’s Hillsborough County, Bedford is a suburb of Manchester, the largest city in the state of New Hampshire.

Bedford was originally established by Massachusetts as “Narragansett, No. 5” in 1733, and was created for the benefit of the soldiers who fought against the Narragansett Indians in Rhode Island. The area was also known as “Souhegan East.” The first settlers in Bedford were Robert and James Walker III. A monument dated 1737 marks the first settlement and stands on what is now Station Road, adjacent to Hawthorne Drive.

The settlement was incorporated and renamed for Lord Russell, the Fourth Duke of Bedford, in 1750. Lord Russell was the Secretary of State for the Southern Department from 1748-1751, and a close friend of New Hampshire Governor Benning Wentworth, whose first wife, Diana Spencer, was cousin to the Duke of Marlborough. Our royal history runs deep in Bedford!

Like much of southeastern New Hampshire, Bedford has grown rapidly over the last fifty years. The 2000 population of 18,274 was over eight times the population in 1950. Every decade has seen substantial growth. The 2010 census puts Bedford’s population at 21,203.

Today, Bedford is an upscale residential town with the majority of the town zoned residential. Boasting a highly-educated population, many of Bedford’s residents are employed in technology. Bedford is proud to be home to the Segway and its inventor, Dean Kamen.

As a suburb of Manchester, with its close proximity to Boston and New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, it’s no wonder Bedford has become such a desirable place to live and work.

Bedford, NH Schools

Bedford places a high degree of importance on education and has a very well-regarded school system. Bedford is also an easy commute to many local colleges and universities, including Saint Anselm College, the University of New Hampshire at Manchester, Manchester Community Technical College, Southern New Hampshire University and Massachusetts College of Pharmacy of New Hampshire.

The Bedford School system is home to the following schools:

Sorry we are experiencing system issues. Please try again.