Compare towns
Exeter vs Bow vs Kingston vs Portsmouth
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).
Kingston has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k 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 | Kingston | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
8,335 |
6,275Lowest |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
55.5±5.7Highest 28% above NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.7%±6Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Kingston 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% NH: 40.6% |
35.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 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 |
$105,330±$12kLowest 6% above NH |
$106,219±$7k 7% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$492,900±$58k 22% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,393±$156Lowest 7% below NH |
$1,869±$111Highest 25% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Exeter 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 |
$7,906Lowest 19% above NH |
$8,018 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
46.9%±46.4 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
74.4% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Portsmouth 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 | #78 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Bow School District | Sanborn Regional School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Bow High School | Sanborn Regional High School | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
12.8 |
12.9Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.