Compare towns
Exeter vs Dummerston vs Bennington vs Hampstead
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%).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Hampstead has the most expensive homes ($521k 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.
| Measure | Exeter | Dummerston | Bennington | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
2,090Lowest |
15,249 |
9,102 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
45.3±6.1 16% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Dummerston 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% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Hampstead 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% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Exeter 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% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Bennington 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. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$112,348±$18kHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Hampstead 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±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$521,100±$45kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Hampstead and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,133±$63Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,299±$149 8% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,634 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±20.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington 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% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Hampstead 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Hampstead School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.