Compare towns
Bedford vs Exeter vs Kingston vs Lee
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%).
Kingston has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Lee has the most homeowners (95.8%).
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 | Kingston | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
16,151 |
6,275 |
4,576Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
55.5±5.7Highest 28% above NH |
42.9±1.9Lowest about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Bedford and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.7%±6Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
35.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Lee 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 |
$105,330±$12kLowest 6% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
| Bedford and Lee 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 |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$492,900±$58k 22% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above 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 | $9,803Highest 47% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$7,906Lowest 19% above NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
46.9%±46.4 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest 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% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
74.4% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
28 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Bedford 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 | #78 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Sanborn Regional School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Exeter High School | Sanborn Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
12.9 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | 10 photos → |
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.