Compare towns
Bath vs Exeter vs Lyman
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 kids (21.3% under 18).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Lyman has the oldest population (median age 60.8).
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 | Lyman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,097 |
16,151Highest |
464Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.6 12% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
60.8±6.5Highest 40% above NH |
| Lyman and Bath 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%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
12.3%±6.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bath and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
38.6%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
27.8% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Bath 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±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$71,042±$17k 28% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,400±$23kLowest 42% below NH |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$311,100±$66k 23% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,438±$309 4% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,147±$81Lowest 23% 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 | $4,413 34% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$3,981Lowest 40% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.9%±61.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
58.3%±100 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
14.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
89.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 4% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
24 minLowest 10% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.2 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
3.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bath School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
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| 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.