Compare towns
Bow vs Rye 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 most kids (25% under 18).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
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 | Rye | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
5,611Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+4.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
55.1±3Highest 27% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±4 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Rye 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% NH: 40.6% |
61.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$140,655±$39k 42% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
| Bow and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 155% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,781±$156 19% above NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
| Exeter and Rye 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 |
$7,519Lowest 13% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.3%±16.1 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Rye 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% |
6.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
85.5% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1972Lowest 7 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
29 minHighest 8% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
30.9%±7.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Rye 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 | #2 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Rye School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| 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.