Compare towns
Amherst vs Bow vs Exeter vs North Hampton
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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
North Hampton has the most expensive homes ($670k median).
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 | Exeter | North Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,861 |
8,335 |
16,151Highest |
4,543Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.5 6% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
50.5±3.3Highest 17% above NH |
| North Hampton 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% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.2%±5.4 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% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
26%±4.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| North Hampton and Exeter 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% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
54.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest 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 |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$146,458±$29k 48% 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±$30k 34% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$670,400±$61kHighest 67% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,805±$106 21% above NH |
| Exeter and North Hampton 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 |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$8,529Lowest 28% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Bow 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% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 22% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
25 min 7% below NH |
25 minLowest 8% below NH |
| Work from home | 32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
25.9%±6.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and North Hampton 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #12 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | North Hampton School District |
| High school in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Bow High School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
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.