Compare towns
Exeter vs Bow vs Chapman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Chapman has the most affordable homes ($186k median).
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 | Bow | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
8,335 |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.7±11.4 17% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
27.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Chapman and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chapman and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$93,125±$17kLowest 15% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$185,700±$22kLowest 44% below U.S. |
| Bow and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
— |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$1,850Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Exeter 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Bow School District | — |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Bow High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.