Compare towns
Barnet vs Exeter vs Wallingford vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnet has the most affordable homes ($248k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Wallingford has the most homeowners (82.5%).
Sharon has the youngest population (median age 45.6).
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 | Barnet | Exeter | Wallingford | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,855 |
16,151Highest |
2,286 |
1,577Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±5.3Highest 23% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
45.9±10.8 18% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Barnet and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±5 U.S.: 22% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Barnet and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barnet and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,386±$15kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$80,230±$15k about the U.S. average |
$84,375±$17k 5% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $247,900±$24kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$261,900±$44k 21% below U.S. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $974±$72 31% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$891±$95Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,489 44% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,355Lowest 40% above U.S. |
$5,903 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barnet and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Barnet 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.