Compare towns
Bow vs Concord vs Eliot 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
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Concord has the most affordable homes ($351k median).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
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 | Bow | Concord | Eliot | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
44,375Highest |
7,146Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
40.7±1.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$84,902±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$350,900±$13kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Bow and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,441±$43Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$7,227 132% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±5.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Eliot 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #89 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Concord High School | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
13.0Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.