Compare towns
Bow vs Exeter vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
16,151Highest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 114% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
| Bow and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| 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 207% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Exeter High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.1 |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.