Compare towns
Bow vs Durham vs Exeter vs Brookline
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).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Exeter has the oldest population (median age 45.8).
Brookline has the most people working from home (24.7%).
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 | Durham | Exeter | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
10,681 |
16,151Highest |
5,736Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+7.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Bow 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% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
57.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
| Brookline and Bow 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 |
$1,302±$211Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
| Brookline and Exeter 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814Lowest 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
55.4%±19.2 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest 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% NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline and Bow 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.