Compare towns
Barnstead vs Bow vs Exeter vs Windham
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 most people working from home (22.7%).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k 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 | Barnstead | Bow | Exeter | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,994Lowest |
8,335 |
16,151Highest |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1 about the NH average |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below 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%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Bow 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%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest 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% NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest 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±$16k 75% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$75Lowest 6% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,003Lowest 10% below NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% 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% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Windham 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% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6% NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barnstead School District | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Exeter High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
12.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.