Compare towns
Bow vs Dracut vs Exeter vs Dunbarton
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).
Dracut has the oldest housing (typical home built 1975).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Dunbarton has the most homeowners (95.1%).
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 | Dracut | Exeter | Dunbarton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
32,574Highest |
16,151 |
3,097Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
48±3.7Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Dunbarton 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% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Dunbarton 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% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2Lowest 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 | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$124,348±$21k 54% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$484,100±$33k 46% above U.S. |
| Bow and Dunbarton 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. |
$1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,166±$70Lowest 17% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Dracut 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. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$8,233 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.7%±60.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Dracut 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% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±5.4 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 | #201 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #33 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dracut | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Dunbarton School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Dracut Senior High | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.9Highest |
12.1Lowest |
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| 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.