Compare towns
Exeter vs Ripton vs Strafford 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 renters (30.9% rent).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Strafford has the oldest population (median age 51.4).
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 | Ripton | Strafford | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
508Lowest |
1,372 |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Bedford 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton 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% |
48%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
— | $1,125±$789Lowest 20% 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. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest 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% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Strafford School District | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town | 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 | 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.