Compare towns
Bow vs Exeter vs Salem
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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Salem has the oldest housing (typical home built 1977).
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 | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
16,151 |
30,964Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
44.6±2.7 3% above NH |
| Exeter and Salem 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%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.6%±1.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
38.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1Lowest 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 |
$110,490±$9k 12% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$473,300±$16k 18% above NH |
| Bow and Salem 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±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,625±$146 9% above NH |
| Exeter and Salem 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 |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$6,992Lowest 5% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±9.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Salem 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% NH: 7.2% |
5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
29 minHighest 9% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
16.3%±2.9Lowest 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #38 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Salem School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Exeter High School | Salem High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.1 |
11.2Lowest |
| 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.