Compare towns
Berwick vs Bow vs Exeter vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berwick has the oldest housing (typical home built 1969).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Berwick | Bow | Exeter | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,998 |
8,335 |
16,151Highest |
1,884Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.6 10% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±12.5 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $81,406±$39kLowest about the U.S. average |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,300±$36k about the U.S. average |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Bow and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$901 26% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,806 22% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.9%±45.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.7%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Exeter 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 | #101 of 133 in ME | #26 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | — | Bow High School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
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.