Compare towns
Cornish vs Exeter vs Tuftonboro
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%).
Tuftonboro has the most kids (18.2% 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 | Tuftonboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
16,151Highest |
2,569 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+3.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
51.9±7.5 20% above NH |
| Cornish and Tuftonboro 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% |
18.2%±4.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Tuftonboro and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
27.8%±6.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Tuftonboro and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
0.8%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$100,574±$16k about the NH average |
| Exeter and Tuftonboro 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 |
$462,300±$46kHighest 15% above NH |
| Tuftonboro 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 |
$1,311±$358 12% below NH |
| Exeter and Tuftonboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 13% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$3,004Lowest 55% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
6.5%±28.5Lowest 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%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
30 minHighest 12% above NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.3%±8.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter and Tuftonboro 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 | Governor Wentworth Regional 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.