Compare towns
Bedford vs Hampstead vs Bow vs Exeter
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%).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Hampstead | Bow | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
9,102 |
8,335Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
+5.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
45.3±6.1 5% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Hampstead 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% |
21.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow 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% |
21.8%±4 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Hampstead 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% |
44.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Bow 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 |
$112,348±$18k 13% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
| Bow and Bedford 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 |
$521,100±$45k 29% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
$1,299±$149Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above 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 |
$8,634Lowest 30% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 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% |
3.8% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
82.1% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Bow 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 | #49 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Hampstead School District | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | None in town | Bow High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 12.8 |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 59 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.