Compare towns
Ogunquit vs Bow vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
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 | Ogunquit | Bow | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,379Lowest |
8,335 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest 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 | $114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Bow and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,539±$178Lowest 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 | $4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest 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 | 3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Bow School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school 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 → |
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.