Compare towns
Exeter vs Bow vs Pelham
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 the most renters (30.9% rent).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Pelham has the most expensive homes ($553k 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 | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
8,335Lowest |
14,449 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
41.5±2.7Lowest 4% below NH |
| Exeter and Bow 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% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
22%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Pelham 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% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Pelham 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 |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$135,956±$19k 37% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH |
| Pelham 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 |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,425±$88Lowest 4% 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 |
$8,634Lowest 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham and Exeter 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% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
86.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest same as NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
30 minHighest 10% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Pelham 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Bow School District | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Bow High School | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
12.8Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.