Compare towns
Bedford vs Hanover vs Merrimack 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 kids (22.7% under 18).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Merrimack has the most homeowners (88.9%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | Hanover | Merrimack | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746 |
11,685Lowest |
28,164Highest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+4.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
41.5±2.2 4% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above 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%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Bedford and Merrimack 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% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Bedford 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% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.2 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$127,219±$16k 28% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
| Hanover 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±$26k 52% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$458,600±$15k 14% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274 41% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,932±$147 30% above NH |
$1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
| Hanover and Bedford 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 |
$7,345Lowest 10% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.9%±9.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Bedford 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% |
5.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
88.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5 NH: 16.8% |
21%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #58 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Merrimack School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Hanover High School | Merrimack High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
10.7Lowest |
12.5 |
12.1 |
| 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.