Compare towns
Bethlehem vs Durham 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
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Bethlehem | Durham | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,537Lowest |
15,080 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 50.6±8.5Highest 17% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
| Bethlehem and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±5.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Bethlehem and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±5.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bethlehem and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,029±$18kLowest 14% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Durham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $288,300±$22kLowest 28% below NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
| Durham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81Lowest 21% below NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,418Lowest 19% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.3%±18.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 31.2%±12.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Bethlehem 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 | #34 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Profile Senior High School | Oyster River High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
12.3Highest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.