Compare towns
Auburn vs Chester vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Chester has the most homeowners (97.7%).
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 | Auburn | Chester | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,119 |
5,300Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9Lowest about the NH average |
47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
| Chester and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
19.6%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Chester and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±4 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3% NH: 40.6% |
41.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
4.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Auburn and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $153,253±$6kHighest 55% above NH |
$142,212±$19k 44% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
| Auburn and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
$552,300±$42k 37% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Auburn and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
— | $1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
| Auburn and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,092Lowest 21% above NH |
$8,464 27% above NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±27 NH: 48.2% |
19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9% NH: 72.8% |
97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above NH |
35 minHighest 31% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.4%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn 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 | #44 of 120 in NH | #90 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Auburn School District | Chester School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.