Compare towns
Exeter vs Hadley vs Maynard 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Maynard has the oldest housing (typical home built 1963).
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 | Hadley | Maynard | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
5,306Lowest |
10,712 |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.8±7.1Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.3±4.3 16% above U.S. |
45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.2%±4.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Hadley 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% |
61.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
64.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hadley and Exeter 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. |
$119,259±$12k 48% above U.S. |
$124,067±$16k 54% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$511,000±$43k 54% above U.S. |
$527,400±$31k 59% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,402±$132Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,800±$148 27% 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 | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$5,271Lowest 69% above U.S. |
$8,266 165% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.9%±9.6 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% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest 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% |
75% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs 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 min 6% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.1%±7.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Maynard 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 | #116 of 282 in MA | #166 of 282 in MA | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Hadley | Maynard | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Hopkins Academy | Maynard High | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
7.3Lowest |
9.7 |
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.