Compare towns
Keene vs Exeter vs Bow vs Sullivan
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Keene has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Sullivan has the most homeowners (93.6%).
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 | Keene | Exeter | Bow | Sullivan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
16,151 |
8,335 |
687Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
-2.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
46.6±6.5Highest 8% above NH |
| Sullivan and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±5 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
28.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.9%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$106,667±$20k 8% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12k 37% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$236,500±$29kLowest 41% below NH |
| Bow and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68 10% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,225±$275Lowest 18% below NH |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812 about the NH average |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$5,099Lowest 24% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
40%±84.5 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
32 minHighest 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
4.2%±2.5Lowest 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Keene School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Bow School District | — |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Exeter High School | Bow High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
12.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.