Compare towns
Auburn vs Exeter vs Townsend vs Hooksett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
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 | Exeter | Townsend | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,119Lowest |
16,151Highest |
9,100 |
15,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett and Auburn 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 90% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11k 46% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,300±$29kHighest 80% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$822Highest 34% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,092 159% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 26.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Auburn School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | North Middlesex | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
13.1Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.