Compare towns
Bow vs Exeter vs Mont Vernon
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%).
Mont Vernon has the most people working from home (26.6%).
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 | Mont Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
16,151Highest |
2,636Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
42.9±2.8 about the NH average |
| Exeter and Mont Vernon 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% |
22.1%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Mont Vernon 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% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±3.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
50.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±2.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$158,036±$19k 60% above NH |
| Bow and Mont Vernon 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 |
$526,300±$39kHighest 31% above NH |
| Mont Vernon 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 |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,104±$185Lowest 26% 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 |
$8,814Lowest 32% above NH |
$9,432 41% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
51.4%±80.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Mont Vernon 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% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
30 minHighest 12% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.6%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Mont Vernon 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 | #4 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Mont Vernon 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 |
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| 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.