Compare towns
Calais vs Exeter vs Newfields vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the most affordable homes ($390k median).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Calais | Exeter | Newfields | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,713Lowest |
16,151Highest |
2,023 |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8 13% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586 111% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1991 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfields and Calais 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Newfields School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| 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.