Compare towns
Bow vs Hampton Beach vs Exeter
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).
Hampton Beach has the oldest population (median age 60.4).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
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 | Hampton Beach | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
2,605Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest 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 |
$82,557±$17kLowest 17% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$508,900±$76kHighest 26% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Hampton Beach 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 |
$1,375±$130Lowest 8% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above 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 |
$6,115Lowest 8% below NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Exeter 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% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
25 min 5% below NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Hampton Beach 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 |
| School district | Bow School District | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.