Compare towns
Deerfield vs Exeter vs Bow vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Deerfield | Exeter | Bow | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,932 |
16,151Highest |
8,335 |
4,576Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±4.2 about the NH average |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.1 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 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+ | 17.5%±3.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 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+ | 47.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 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 | $131,563±$10k 33% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% 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 | $421,000±$33kLowest 5% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% 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 | $1,593±$318 7% above NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
— |
| Exeter and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,369Lowest 11% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.4%±17.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.3% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 28% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
28 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.4%±6.3 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest 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 | #61 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Deerfield School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | 10 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.