Compare towns
Danvers vs Hampton vs Exeter vs Middleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danvers has the oldest housing (typical home built 1963).
Hampton has the oldest population (median age 55.8).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
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 | Danvers | Hampton | Exeter | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 28,098Highest |
16,426 |
16,151 |
9,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3 16% above U.S. |
55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
43.1±2Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $125,395±$10k 55% above U.S. |
$95,233±$9kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$167,402±$29kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $644,200±$23k 94% above U.S. |
$550,200±$39k 65% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$742,700±$48kHighest 123% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,628±$94 15% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,407±$284Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Danvers and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,654Lowest 113% above U.S. |
$6,813 118% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$8,785 182% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.8%±10.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton 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 | #91 of 282 in MA | #31 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Middleton |
| High school in town | — | Winnacunnet High School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.1Lowest |
12.1Highest |
— |
| 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.



