Compare towns
Concord vs Exeter vs Bow vs Canterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Concord has the most affordable homes ($351k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Canterbury has the most homeowners (93.7%).
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 | Concord | Exeter | Bow | Canterbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,375Highest |
16,151 |
8,335 |
2,353Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+1.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3Lowest 6% below NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
48.6±3.8Highest 12% above NH |
| Canterbury and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±1.3 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±4.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±1.5 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.9%±3.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
49.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.8%±3Highest NH: 6% |
| Canterbury and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,902±$5kLowest 14% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$129,333±$37k 31% above NH |
| Bow and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $350,900±$13kLowest 13% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$443,700±$21k 10% above NH |
| Bow and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,441±$43Lowest 3% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$2,136±$233Highest 43% above NH |
| Canterbury and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,227Lowest 8% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$7,421 11% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
71.7%±48.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Canterbury and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
93.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.6%±7.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Canterbury 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 | #89 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Bow School District | Shaker Regional School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | Exeter High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
12.1Lowest |
12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | None yet |
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.