Compare towns
Exeter vs Danvers 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).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k 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 | Danvers | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Lowest |
28,098Highest |
23,746 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Danvers 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% |
17.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3Lowest 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. |
$125,395±$10k 55% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26k 84% above U.S. |
| Danvers 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. |
$2,076±$192 47% above U.S. |
$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$6,654Lowest 113% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 120 in NH | #91 of 282 in MA | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | — | 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.