Compare towns
Bow 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 most kids (25% under 18).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
15,080 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above 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%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% 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 |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814Lowest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Exeter 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% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Oyster River High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.3 |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.