Compare towns
Mapleton vs Bow vs Exeter vs Chapman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the oldest housing (typical home built 1977).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).
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 | Mapleton | Bow | Exeter | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
8,335 |
16,151Highest |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.7±11.4 17% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Chapman and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chapman and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$93,125±$17k 15% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$185,700±$22kLowest 44% below U.S. |
| Bow and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
— |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$1,850 41% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Exeter High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.



