Compare towns
Concord vs Lee vs Exeter vs Bow
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).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Lee | Exeter | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,375Highest |
4,576Lowest |
16,151 |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3Lowest 6% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
| Exeter and Lee 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% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Lee 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% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Lee 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% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| 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 14% below NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Bow and Lee 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 |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
| Bow and Lee 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±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% 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 | $7,227Lowest 8% above NH |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±5.2 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
| 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 NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below NH |
28 minHighest about the NH average |
25 min 7% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee 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 | #89 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Concord High School | None in town | Exeter High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | 59 photos → | 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.