What stands out worked out from the figures below

Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).

Central Falls has the most renters (74.4% rent).

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	Central Falls
People
Population	16,151Lowest	22,701Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S.	32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S.
Kids under 18	17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Exeter and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S.	$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S.	$352,100±$30kLowest 6% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S.	$1,200±$75Lowest 15% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,814Highest 183% above U.S.	$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	56.7%±8.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Exeter and Central Falls 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%	24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.	1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 6% below U.S.	27 minHighest 4% above U.S.
Work from home	19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#22 of 120 in NH	#38 of 38 in RI
School district	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District	Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning
High school in town	Exeter High School	Central Falls Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Lowest	14.6Highest
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.