Compare towns
Exeter vs Whiting vs Mendon 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
Whiting has the most affordable homes ($280k median).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Whiting | Mendon | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
532Lowest |
1,113 |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
39.6±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Exeter 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% |
23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Whiting 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% |
13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whiting 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±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$91,250±$38kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$280,400±$36kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,204±$519Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% 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. |
$4,227Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±37.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Bedford 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% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Mendon 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 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | — | 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 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.