What stands out worked out from the figures below

Exeter has the most people working from home (10.3%).

Northfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Exeter	Northfield
People
Population	1,093Highest	263Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-11.8% ME: +2.6%	—
Median age	52.6±7.7Lowest 17% above ME	62.1±16.2Highest 39% above ME
	Northfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1%	11.4%±7.8Highest ME: 18.1%
	Northfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.9%±11.4Lowest ME: 22.4%	39.2%±9.2Highest ME: 22.4%
	Northfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	15%Lowest ME: 36.2%	40.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8%	1.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Exeter and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME	$68,333±$52kLowest 9% below ME
	Exeter and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME	$198,600±$64kHighest 33% below ME
	Northfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$995±$386 13% below ME	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,602Lowest 47% below ME	$1,773Highest 42% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4%	—
Below poverty line	8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7%	20.5%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.1%Highest ME: 74.3%	88.9%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME	1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 43% above ME	24 minLowest about the ME average
Work from home	10.3%±5.7Highest ME: 15.9%	3.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Exeter and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

ME 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.