Compare towns
Hooksett vs Bow vs Exeter vs Barrington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Barrington has the youngest population (median age 38.7).
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 | Hooksett | Bow | Exeter | Barrington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,057 |
8,335Lowest |
16,151Highest |
9,489 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.6% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.5 5% below NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
38.7±2.3Lowest 11% below NH |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±4 NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
42.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
5.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Hooksett and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $117,962±$11k 19% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$110,323±$14kLowest 11% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,000±$26k about the NH average |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$399,100±$30kLowest about the NH average |
| Bow and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$206 11% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,867±$194Highest 25% above NH |
| Barrington and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554Lowest about the NH average |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$7,121 7% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±16.4 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
63.1%±25.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Barrington and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.3% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
7.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
18.7%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
| Bow 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 | #30 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #65 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hooksett School District | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Barrington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
12.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.