Compare towns
Bow vs Exeter vs Wilder vs Brookline
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 oldest population (median age 45.8).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Brookline has the most people working from home (24.7%).
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 | Wilder | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
16,151Highest |
3,087Lowest |
5,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9 17% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilder 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilder and Brookline 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. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$171,046±$4k 112% above U.S. |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Brookline 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 9% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,142±$451Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$5,505Lowest 76% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline 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 | — | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | Brookline 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 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.