Compare towns
Exeter vs Epping vs Hampton Beach vs Kingston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the highest household income ($110k).
Epping has the most homeowners (86.3%).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Epping | Hampton Beach | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
7,430 |
2,605Lowest |
6,275 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+11.1% NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
45.1±3.5Lowest 4% above NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
55.5±5.7 28% above NH |
| Hampton Beach and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
13.5%±3.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Epping 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 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±5.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.7%±6 NH: 20.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Kingston 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 NH: 40.6% |
37% NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
35.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.1 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Epping 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 11% above NH |
$104,220±$7k 5% above NH |
$82,557±$17kLowest 17% below NH |
$105,330±$12k 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$436,900±$35kLowest 9% above NH |
$508,900±$76kHighest 26% above NH |
$492,900±$58k 22% above NH |
| Hampton Beach and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,742±$576 17% above NH |
$1,375±$130Lowest 8% below NH |
$1,393±$156 7% below NH |
| Exeter and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$6,936 4% above NH |
$6,115Lowest 8% below NH |
$7,906 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
46.9%±46.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% NH: 72.8% |
86.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
74.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9 NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Hampton Beach and Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | — | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Epping School District | — | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Epping High School | — | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
9.3Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 59 photos → | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.