Compare towns
Chatham vs Exeter vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chatham has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Sharon has the most homeowners (93.1%).
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 | Chatham | Exeter | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 430Lowest |
16,151Highest |
442 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 48.3±8.6 12% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
49.4±11.2Highest 14% above NH |
| Sharon and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±7.4 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±8.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Sharon and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±10 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Sharon and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
1.6%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,042±$19kLowest 33% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$113,125±$19kHighest 14% above NH |
| Sharon and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,900±$42kLowest 10% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$475,900±$38kHighest 18% above NH |
| Sharon 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 |
$1,458±$1kLowest about the NH average |
| Exeter and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,690Lowest 45% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$8,274 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±100 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
28.6%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Chatham 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%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1979 same as NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 33% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
32 min 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 7.3%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.2%±4.5 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 | — |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.