Compare towns
Exeter vs Amherst vs Hampton Beach
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
Amherst has the highest household income ($153k).
Hampton Beach has the oldest population (median age 60.4).
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.
| Measure | Exeter | Amherst | Hampton Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
11,861 |
2,605Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
45.9±3.5 6% above NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Amherst and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH |
$82,557±$17kLowest 17% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
$508,900±$76k 26% above NH |
| Amherst and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,462±$256 about the NH average |
$1,375±$130Lowest 8% below NH |
| Exeter and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 32% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
$6,115Lowest 8% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest same as NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1 NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Hampton Beach 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 | #20 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Souhegan Coop High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
10.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.