Compare towns
Bedford vs Exeter vs Holderness vs Plainfield
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 highest household income ($167k).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Exeter | Holderness | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
16,151 |
1,917Lowest |
2,522 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
38.9±6.5Lowest 10% below 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% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Plainfield 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% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Holderness 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 NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
55.7% NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Plainfield 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 69% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$107,863±$45kLowest 9% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 52% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
$442,400±$47k 10% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$2,068±$385 39% above NH |
$1,674±$181Lowest 12% above NH |
| Bedford and Holderness 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 |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$7,904 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 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% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.7% NH: 72.8% |
87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | — | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Holderness School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.