Compare towns
Cornwall vs Reading vs Exeter vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
Reading has the most affordable homes ($377k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Strafford has the most kids (23% 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 | Cornwall | Reading | Exeter | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
699Lowest |
16,151Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $458,000±$49kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$206 20% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726 116% above U.S. |
$5,754Lowest 84% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Reading 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None 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 History | None yet | 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.