Compare towns
Barnstead vs Bow 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
Barnstead has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Barnstead | Bow | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,994Lowest |
8,335 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1 about the NH average |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±4.8 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,660±$12k 13% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
| Bow and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$75Lowest 6% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above 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 | $6,003Lowest 10% below NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Exeter 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 | #111 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barnstead School District | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.