Compare towns
Bow vs Dunbarton vs Exeter vs Kingston
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%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Kingston has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Exeter | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
3,097Lowest |
16,151Highest |
6,275 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+9% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
48±3.7 11% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
55.5±5.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Kingston and Dunbarton 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% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest 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%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.7%±6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Kingston 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 NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
35.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| 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 75% above NH |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$105,330±$12kLowest 6% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$492,900±$58k 22% above NH |
| Bow and Kingston 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 |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,393±$156 7% below NH |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,233 23% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$7,906Lowest 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.9%±46.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
74.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
34 min 25% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.7%±4.3 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Dunbarton School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Exeter High School | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | 12.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
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.