Compare towns
Exeter vs Bow vs Cornish
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%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k 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 | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
8,335 |
1,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
| Cornish and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish 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% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest 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±$13k 11% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
| 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 24% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 32% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Cornish 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% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest same as NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | Cornish School District |
| High school 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 | 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.