Compare towns
Exeter vs Boxborough vs Bedford
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 affordable homes ($457k median).
Boxborough has the most expensive homes ($707k median).
Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Boxborough | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151 |
5,496Lowest |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
42.7±1.6Lowest 10% above U.S. |
45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Bedford 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% |
20%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bedford and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.2%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Bedford 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$144,611±$35k 79% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$706,900±$72kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
| Boxborough and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Lowest 31% above U.S. |
$1,887±$173 34% above U.S. |
$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Lowest 183% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,803 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.8%±22.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 120 in NH | #31 of 282 in MA | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Acton-Boxborough | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| 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.