Compare towns
Chesterfield vs Exeter 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
Chesterfield has the most affordable homes ($374k median).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
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 | Chesterfield | Exeter | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,622Lowest |
16,151Highest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±8.7Highest 20% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Chesterfield and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.8%±7.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chesterfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,370±$40kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,500±$33kLowest 12% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Williston and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,324±$1kLowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,344 103% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chesterfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.9%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston 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 | #52 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Chesterfield School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None 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 |
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.