Compare towns
Exeter vs Charlotte 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).
Charlotte has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Bedford has the highest household income ($167k).
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 | Charlotte | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151 |
3,916Lowest |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
52.2±5Highest 34% above U.S. |
45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Charlotte and Exeter 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% |
19.6%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bedford and Charlotte 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% |
22.3%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Charlotte 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% |
66.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Bedford 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 37% above U.S. |
$144,375±$27k 79% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Charlotte 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. |
$695,300±$53kHighest 109% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,738±$803Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Exeter 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. |
$9,221 196% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.1%±28.6Lowest 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% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.8%±8.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Charlotte and Bedford 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 | #3 of 70 in VT | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | 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.