Compare towns
Cornish vs Exeter vs Madbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
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 | Cornish | Exeter | Madbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
16,151Highest |
2,203 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
| Cornish and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
| Madbury and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$476,900±$31kHighest 18% above NH |
| Madbury and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 1 yr newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
25 minHighest 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter and Madbury 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 | — |
| School district | Cornish School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| 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.