What stands out worked out from the figures below

Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).

Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).

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	Athol	Exeter
People
Population	12,011Lowest	16,151Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S.	45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%	17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Athol and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Exeter and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Exeter and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$69,316±$5kLowest 14% below U.S.	$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S.	$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,150±$182Lowest 19% below U.S.	$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,403Lowest 9% above U.S.	$8,814Highest 183% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.5%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Exeter and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	25 minLowest 6% below U.S.
Work from home	10.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#256 of 282 in MA	#22 of 120 in NH
School district	Athol-Royalston	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District
High school in town	Athol High	Exeter High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Lowest	12.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.