Compare towns
Exeter vs Fairlee 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
Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($278k median).
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 | Fairlee | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151 |
54Lowest |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
63.5±7.6Highest 63% above U.S. |
45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
0%±52.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
37%±54.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
11.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±26.2Lowest 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±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$21,071±$13kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$277,500±$28kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,057±$620Lowest 25% below 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 | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$3,750Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±55.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Bedford 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% |
50%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
— | 25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.5%±30.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Fairlee 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 | — | #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 Our Story | 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.