Compare towns
Concord vs Exeter vs Kittery vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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%).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Kittery | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,375Highest |
16,151 |
10,473 |
8,335Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
| Kittery 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 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Exeter 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Concord 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 5% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $350,900±$13kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Bow and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,441±$43Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,227 132% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #89 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Kittery Public Schools | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | Exeter High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
12.1 |
9.9Lowest |
12.8 |
| 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.