Compare towns
Exeter vs Douglas vs Lancaster
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%).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Douglas | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
9,207 |
8,606Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Douglas 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% |
21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas and Lancaster 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% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Douglas 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. |
$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Lancaster 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. |
$470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,503±$697Lowest 6% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
| Lancaster 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. |
$6,338Lowest 103% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Douglas 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Douglas | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Douglas High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
7.2Lowest |
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| 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.