Compare towns
Ashby vs Exeter vs Kingston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashby has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Kingston has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Ashby | Exeter | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211Lowest |
16,151Highest |
6,275 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3 30% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
55.5±5.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kingston and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.7%±6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kingston and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$105,330±$12kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$492,900±$58kHighest 48% above U.S. |
| Kingston and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,393±$156 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$7,906 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±46.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Ashby 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 | #200 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Middlesex | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.