Compare towns
Exeter vs Amherst 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
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Exeter | Amherst | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
11,861 |
8,335Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
| Amherst and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 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 | $110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
$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 | $8,814Lowest 32% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 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 | 4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Souhegan Coop High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.