Compare towns
Exeter vs Surry vs Newfields 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 renters (30.9% rent).
Surry has the most affordable homes ($331k median).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
Bedford has the most kids (22.7% under 18).
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 | Surry | Newfields | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
1,052Lowest |
2,023 |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12% NH: +4.6% |
+5.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
44.7±5.1 3% above NH |
44.1±1.8Lowest about the NH average |
45±2.2 4% above NH |
| Exeter and Bedford 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% |
20.8%±6.2 NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Bedford and Surry 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% |
23.3%±7 NH: 20.1% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Surry 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% |
31.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
68.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
63% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.6%±6.6 NH: 6% |
7.5%±7.2Highest NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Newfields and Surry 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 11% above NH |
$110,125±$25kLowest 11% above NH |
$197,885±$15kHighest 100% above NH |
$167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$331,400±$23kLowest 18% below NH |
$646,400±$34kHighest 61% above NH |
$612,100±$26k 52% above NH |
| Newfields 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 |
$1,955±$374 31% above NH |
$1,875±$323 26% above NH |
$2,099±$274Highest 41% above NH |
| Bedford and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 32% above NH |
$6,384Lowest 4% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,803 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
33.3%±74.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
43.3%±40.8 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% |
3.1% NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.6% NH: 72.8% |
95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
26 minHighest 4% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
16%±7.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
25.5%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Newfields 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 | — | — | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | Newfields 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 | 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.