Compare towns
Bedford vs Bow vs Exeter vs Londonderry
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).
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 | Bedford | Bow | Exeter | Londonderry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746 |
8,335Lowest |
16,151 |
26,685Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
42.7±0.9 about the NH average |
| 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% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±2.1 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% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.4%±1.9Lowest 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
47.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±1 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 | $167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$132,556±$14k 34% 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 |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$505,200±$20k 26% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,803±$154 21% 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 | $9,803Highest 47% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$8,069Lowest 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
48.9%±7.8 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% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
85.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
29 minHighest 7% above NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Londonderry 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #37 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Londonderry School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Bow High School | Exeter High School | Londonderry Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.8 |
12.1 |
12.0Lowest |
| 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.