What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Chicopee has the most affordable homes ($275k median).

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	Chicopee
People
Population	16,151Lowest	55,295Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S.	41.9±1.4Lowest 8% above U.S.
Kids under 18	17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.2%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Chicopee 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%	19.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.7%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Exeter and Chicopee 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.	$62,615±$6kLowest 22% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S.	$274,500±$8kLowest 17% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S.	$1,157±$50Lowest 18% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,814Highest 183% above U.S.	$3,847Lowest 23% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	52%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Exeter and Chicopee 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%	17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	55.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.	1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 6% below U.S.	21 minLowest 19% below U.S.
Work from home	19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#22 of 120 in NH	#247 of 282 in MA
School district	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District	Chicopee
High school in town	Exeter High School	Chicopee Comprehensive High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	11.2Lowest
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.