What stands out worked out from the figures below

Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).

Billerica has the highest household income ($148k).

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	Billerica
People
Population	16,151Lowest	42,003Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S.	43.3±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S.
	Exeter and Billerica 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%	18%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22%
	Billerica and Exeter 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%	18%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Exeter and Billerica 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.	$148,200±$8kHighest 84% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S.	$612,000±$13kHighest 84% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,856±$223Lowest 31% above U.S.	$2,282±$173Highest 62% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,814Highest 183% above U.S.	$6,358Lowest 104% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	42.3%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Exeter and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	5.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	79.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.	1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 6% below U.S.	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	19.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Exeter and Billerica 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	#146 of 282 in MA
School district	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District	Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Exeter High School	Billerica Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Lowest	14.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	59 photos →	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.