Compare towns
Bedford vs Lawrence vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bedford has the highest household income ($167k).
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Exeter has the oldest population (median age 45.8).
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 | Lawrence | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746 |
88,736Highest |
16,151Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lawrence 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Lawrence 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 107% above U.S. |
$60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$415,200±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,662±$50Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| 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 214% above U.S. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lawrence 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 120 in NH | #278 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Lawrence | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Lawrence High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
13.6Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
U.S. 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.