Compare towns
Exeter vs Acton vs Stratham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Stratham has the most homeowners (92.6%).
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 | Exeter | Acton | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151 |
24,155Highest |
7,754Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
44.5±0.8 14% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
79.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$158,230±$14kHighest 96% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20k 88% above U.S. |
| Acton and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$807,300±$20kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36k 97% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Lowest 31% above U.S. |
$1,986±$155 41% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Lowest 183% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,781 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
35.9%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Acton and Stratham 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 | #13 of 282 in MA | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Acton-Boxborough | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
13.5Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.