Compare towns
Exeter vs South Hampton vs Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
South Hampton has the most expensive homes ($661k median).
Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | South Hampton | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151 |
984Lowest |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
45.1±5.3 4% above NH |
45±2.2Lowest 4% above NH |
| Exeter and South Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.3%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
| South Hampton and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% NH: 40.6% |
52.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
63%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1 NH: 6% |
| 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±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$152,500±$44k 54% above NH |
$167,418±$12kHighest 69% above NH |
| Bedford and South Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$661,100±$45kHighest 64% above NH |
$612,100±$26k 52% above NH |
| South Hampton and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
$1,889±$489 27% above NH |
$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
| Bedford and South Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Lowest 32% above NH |
$9,109 37% above NH |
$9,803Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
30%±40.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| 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%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
28 minHighest 6% above NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
17%±3.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| 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 | South Hampton School District | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | 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 |
NH 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.