Compare towns
Bath vs Exeter vs Hampstead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most affordable homes ($234k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Hampstead has the most expensive homes ($521k 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 | Bath | Exeter | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,097Lowest |
16,151Highest |
9,102 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.6Highest 12% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
45.3±6.1Lowest 5% above NH |
| Bath and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bath and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,813±$22kLowest 32% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$112,348±$18kHighest 13% above NH |
| Hampstead and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,400±$23kLowest 42% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$521,100±$45kHighest 29% above NH |
| Hampstead and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,438±$309 4% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,299±$149Lowest 13% below NH |
| Exeter and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,413Lowest 34% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.9%±61.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
3.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hampstead 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bath School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Hampstead School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
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.