Compare towns
Exeter vs Epping vs Lyndeborough 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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Lyndeborough has the most affordable homes ($391k median).
Kingston 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 | Epping | Lyndeborough | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
7,430 |
1,616Lowest |
6,275 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+11.1% NH: +4.6% |
+1.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
45.1±3.5Lowest 4% above NH |
50±3.2 15% above NH |
55.5±5.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Kingston and Lyndeborough 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% |
14.9%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest 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% |
22.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.7%±6Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Kingston 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 NH: 40.6% |
37% NH: 40.6% |
40.1% NH: 40.6% |
35.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.1Lowest 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±$13k 11% above NH |
$104,220±$7kLowest 5% above NH |
$116,964±$17kHighest 18% above NH |
$105,330±$12k 6% above NH |
| Lyndeborough 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 13% above NH |
$436,900±$35k 9% above NH |
$390,900±$26kLowest about the NH average |
$492,900±$58kHighest 22% above NH |
| Kingston 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 24% above NH |
$1,742±$576 17% above NH |
$1,482±$457 about the NH average |
$1,393±$156Lowest 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 |
$6,936Lowest 4% above NH |
$7,133 7% above 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% |
48.9%±90 NH: 48.2% |
46.9%±46.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
92.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
74.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest same as NH |
1989Highest 10 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
39 minHighest 46% above NH |
34 min 27% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
16.7%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | — | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Epping School District | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Epping High School | None in town | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
9.3Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.