Compare towns
Center Harbor vs Exeter vs New Hampton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Center Harbor has the oldest population (median age 60.4).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
New Hampton has the most affordable homes ($384k 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 | Center Harbor | Exeter | New Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 955Lowest |
16,151Highest |
2,509 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 60.4±4.8Highest 39% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
51.7±2.7 19% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±5.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.8%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and New Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.5%±13.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.8%±5 NH: 20.1% |
| Center Harbor and New Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.1% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
32.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and New Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,313±$16k 5% above NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$95,250±$35kLowest 4% below NH |
| Exeter and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $463,800±$74kHighest 15% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$383,700±$37kLowest 5% below NH |
| Center Harbor and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$749±$433Lowest 50% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,667Lowest 30% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$4,973 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.3%±59.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
21.3%±21.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
13.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 8% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 8.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.9%±3.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Newfound Area School District |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.