What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Steep Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).

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	Steep Falls
People
Population	1,093Lowest	1,861Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+7.4%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME	44.1±6.5Lowest about the ME average
	Exeter and Steep Falls 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%	22.9%±9.7Highest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	23.9%±11.4Highest ME: 22.4%	9.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Exeter and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	15%Highest ME: 36.2%	14.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8%	3.5%±3.8Highest ME: 5.8%
	Steep Falls and Exeter 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	$80,280±$33kLowest 7% above ME
	Exeter and Steep Falls 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	$243,400±$31kHighest 18% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$995±$386Lowest 13% below ME	$1,516±$1kHighest 33% above ME
	Steep Falls and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,602Lowest 47% below ME	$3,273Highest 8% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4%	66.4%±36.1Highest ME: 48.4%
	Steep Falls and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.1%Highest ME: 10.7%	7.2%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.1%Highest ME: 74.3%	80.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME	1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 43% above ME	31 minLowest 25% above ME
Work from home	10.3%±5.7Highest ME: 15.9%	4%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Exeter and Steep Falls 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.