Compare towns
Exeter vs Ogunquit vs Bow vs Hampstead
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 renters (30.9% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Ogunquit | Bow | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
1,379Lowest |
8,335 |
9,102 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.3±6.1 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Bow 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. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$112,348±$18k 39% above U.S. |
| Bow and Ogunquit 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. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$521,100±$45k 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
— | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,299±$149Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Bow 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. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$8,634 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±20.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Hampstead 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 120 in NH | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | Bow School District | Hampstead School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | — | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
— |
| 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.