Compare towns
Deerfield vs Exeter vs Lee vs Milford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Milford has the youngest population (median age 36.8).
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 | Deerfield | Exeter | Lee | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,932 |
16,151 |
4,576Lowest |
16,337Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±4.2 about the NH average |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
36.8±2.5Lowest 15% below NH |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.1 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Milford and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±3.5 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.1%±1.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.3% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.3 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $131,563±$10k 33% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$131,579±$54kHighest 33% above NH |
$97,768±$14kLowest about the NH average |
| Lee and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $421,000±$33k 5% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$480,600±$61kHighest 19% above NH |
$398,800±$20kLowest about the NH average |
| Lee and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,593±$318Lowest 7% above NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
— | $1,661±$126 11% above NH |
| Exeter and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,369Lowest 11% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$7,522 13% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.4%±17.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
49.6%±15.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.3% NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 28% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
28 min about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.4%±6.3 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Deerfield 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 | #61 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Deerfield School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Milford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 10 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.