Compare towns
Exeter vs Fall River vs Thompson 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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Thompson has the most affordable homes ($292k 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 | Fall River | Thompson | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
94,082Highest |
9,337Lowest |
23,746 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +10% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bedford and Fall River 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% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% 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%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±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±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$93,629±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$395,500±$11k 19% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,155±$27 18% below U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% 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. |
$3,953 27% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 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% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 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. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 120 in NH | #262 of 282 in MA | #130 of 149 in CT | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Thompson School District | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | B M C Durfee High | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.3 |
7.9Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.