Compare towns
Amherst vs Bow vs Dunbarton vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Amherst | Bow | Dunbarton | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,861 |
8,335 |
3,097Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5 6% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256 about the NH average |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,773Highest 47% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$8,233Lowest 23% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9% NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 22% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Bow 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 | #20 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Bow School District | Dunbarton School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Bow High School | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— | 12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
NH 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.