Compare towns
Hanover vs Bow 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
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Bow | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,685 |
8,335Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $169,583±$36k 71% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
| Bow and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
| Hanover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$8,814Lowest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 27% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Bow 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Hanover High School | Bow High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
12.1 |
| 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.