Compare towns
Concord vs Lyme 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).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($645k median).
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 | Lyme | Exeter | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,375Highest |
1,710Lowest |
16,151 |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.3Lowest 6% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
| Lyme 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% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Lyme 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% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme 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 NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±0.8 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest 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 |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $350,900±$13kLowest 13% below NH |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,441±$43 3% below NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% 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% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Lyme 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% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District | Lyme 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 | None yet | 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.