Compare towns
Chester vs Exeter vs Weare
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the most expensive homes ($552k median).
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Weare has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Chester | Exeter | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,300Lowest |
16,151Highest |
9,170 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.8Highest 9% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
45.6±4Lowest 5% above NH |
| Chester and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Weare and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.1 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,212±$19kHighest 44% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
| Chester and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,300±$42kHighest 37% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$396,300±$26kLowest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,541±$214Lowest 3% above NH |
| Exeter and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,464 27% above NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$6,272Lowest 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19%±72.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Weare and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 31% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Weare and Exeter 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 | #90 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Chester School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | John Stark Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| 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.