Compare towns
Boston vs Exeter vs Milton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
Milton has the highest household income ($189k).
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 | Boston | Exeter | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
16,151Lowest |
28,587 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.1±1.8 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
25.3%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
71.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$188,529±$15kHighest 134% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10k 120% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$933,200±$31kHighest 180% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25Highest 52% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,474±$281Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$9,677Highest 210% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±20.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #258 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #55 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Milton |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Exeter High School | Milton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
12.1Lowest |
12.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.