Compare towns
Hancock vs Bethlehem vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has the most homeowners (85.6%).
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Hancock | Bethlehem | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,791Lowest |
2,537 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% NH: +4.6% |
-1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 53.8±4.5Highest 24% above NH |
50.6±8.5 17% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
| Hancock and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.7%±5.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Bethlehem and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±2.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
28.2%±5.5 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Hancock and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.9% NH: 40.6% |
45.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.6 NH: 6% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,208±$15k 4% below NH |
$85,029±$18kLowest 14% below NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
| Exeter and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$22k 8% above NH |
$288,300±$22kLowest 28% below NH |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
| Exeter and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$650 19% below NH |
$1,174±$81Lowest 21% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
| Exeter and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,884 3% above NH |
$5,418Lowest 19% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.4%±55.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.3%±18.3 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.3% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
1973 6 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 24% above NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
31.2%±12.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Bethlehem and Exeter 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 | — | #34 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Profile Senior High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.9Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.