Compare towns
Exeter vs Danvers vs Meredith
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Danvers | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151 |
28,098Highest |
6,758Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
45.3±3Lowest 16% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Danvers 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Danvers 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 37% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Exeter 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. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Danvers and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Danvers 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Exeter 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 | #91 of 282 in MA | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
12.8Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.