What stands out worked out from the figures below

Alton has the most homeowners (93.7%).

Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Alton	Exeter
People
Population	5,994Lowest	16,151Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.3%Highest NH: +4.6%	+12.2%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	53.7±3.2Highest 24% above NH	45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH
Kids under 18	13.4%±4Lowest NH: 18.2%	17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2%
	Exeter and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.1%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1%	24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Alton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%	59.2%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.8%±0.8Lowest NH: 6%	6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,715±$19kHighest 15% above NH	$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH
	Alton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$430,400±$37kLowest 7% above NH	$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH
	Exeter and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,856±$223 24% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,183Lowest 37% below NH	$8,814Highest 32% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.7%±27.7Lowest NH: 48.2%	59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2%
	Exeter and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.1%Lowest NH: 7.2%	4.7%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.7%Highest NH: 72.8%	69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH	1979Highest same as NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 24% above NH	25 minLowest 7% below NH
Work from home	13.1%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8%	19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8%
	Exeter and Alton 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	#72 of 120 in NH	#22 of 120 in NH
School district	Prospect Mountain JMA School District · Alton School District	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District
High school in town	Prospect Mountain High School	Exeter High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	12.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.