Compare towns
Bow vs Exeter vs North Hampton vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
North Hampton has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | North Hampton | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
16,151Highest |
4,543Lowest |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 4% below NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
50.5±3.3Highest 17% above NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
| North Hampton and Exeter 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% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.2%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham 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% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
26%±4.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| North Hampton 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% NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
54.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 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±$16k 75% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$146,458±$29k 48% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Windham and Bow 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 |
$670,400±$61k 67% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Windham and North Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,805±$106 21% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$8,529Lowest 28% 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% |
23.5%±21Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Windham 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% |
2.9% NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.3% NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
25 min 7% below NH |
25 minLowest 8% below NH |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
25.9%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
| North Hampton 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 | #12 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | North Hampton School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Exeter High School | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.