Compare towns
Bedford vs Bow vs Durham 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
Bedford has the most expensive homes ($612k median).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Bedford | Bow | Durham | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
8,335Lowest |
10,681 |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63% NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
| Bow and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
| Bedford and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803 47% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814Lowest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford 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 | #7 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Bow School District | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Bow High School | — | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.8 |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| 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.