Compare towns
Bow vs Exeter vs Hollis
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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Hollis has the most expensive homes ($676k median).
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 | Exeter | Hollis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
16,151Highest |
8,603 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
49.4±5Highest 14% above NH |
| Hollis 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% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21%±4 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Hollis 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% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
23.3%±4.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Hollis 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% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
57.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest 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 |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$168,883±$22k 71% above NH |
| Bow and Hollis 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 |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$675,900±$48kHighest 68% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,598±$302 7% above NH |
| Exeter and Hollis 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 |
$8,814Lowest 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.3%±19.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Bow 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% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
29%±6.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hollis 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #8 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Hollis School District · Hollis-Brookline Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Exeter High School | Hollis-Brookline High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.1 |
11.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.