Compare towns
Bow vs Hampton 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 has the oldest population (median age 55.8).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
16,426Highest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
55.8±2.1Highest 29% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
11.6%±2.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
30.9%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
42.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.1%±1.1Lowest 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 |
$95,233±$9kLowest 4% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$550,200±$39kHighest 37% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Hampton and Bow 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 |
$1,628±$94 9% above NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
| Exeter and Hampton 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 |
$6,813Lowest about the NH average |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
56.8%±10.4 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Hampton 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% |
5.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.8% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
26 min 3% below NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.7%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Hampton 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 | #31 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Winnacunnet High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.1Lowest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.