Compare towns
Bedford vs Dover vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bedford has the highest household income ($167k).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
1,466Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
53.5±8.3Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Dover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$332,900±$55kLowest about the U.S. average |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| 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 214% above U.S. |
$4,510Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Dover 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
U.S. 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.