Compare towns
Bedford vs Durham vs Exeter vs Kingston
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 people working from home (27%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Kingston has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Durham | Exeter | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
15,080 |
16,151 |
6,275Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
55.5±5.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
13.5%±3.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.7%±6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Kingston 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% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
35.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$105,330±$12kLowest 6% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$492,900±$58k 22% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,393±$156Lowest 7% below 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$7,906Lowest 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
46.9%±46.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Bedford 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% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
74.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Oyster River High School | Exeter High School | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.3 |
12.1Lowest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.