Compare towns
Bedford vs Dover vs Exeter vs Newfields
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 kids (22.7% under 18).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
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 | Dover | Exeter | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746 |
33,364Highest |
16,151 |
2,023Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
44.1±1.8 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%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Bedford and Newfields 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% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest 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% NH: 40.6% |
52%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
68.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
7.5%±7.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Newfields and Dover 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 |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$197,885±$15kHighest 100% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26k 52% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$646,400±$34kHighest 61% above NH |
| Newfields and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,875±$323 26% above NH |
| Bedford and Newfields 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 |
$8,249Lowest 24% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest 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% NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
26 minHighest 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
25.5%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Newfields 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bedford School District | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.7 |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.