Compare towns
Exeter vs Eliot vs Ogunquit vs Portsmouth
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 the most affordable homes ($457k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% 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.
| Measure | Exeter | Eliot | Ogunquit | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
7,146 |
1,379Lowest |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Eliot 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% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Ogunquit 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. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit 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. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Lowest 31% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
— | $1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Portsmouth 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. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$8,018 157% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Eliot 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | — | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | — | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
— | — | 11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.