Compare towns
Bow vs Dunbarton 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
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Dunbarton has the most homeowners (95.1%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% 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 | Bow | Dunbarton | Durham | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
3,097Lowest |
10,681 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
| 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 NH: 18.2% |
19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| 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% NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
$498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Bow and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,302±$211 13% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$8,233Lowest 23% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | #33 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dunbarton School District | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | — | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | — | 12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.