What stands out worked out from the figures below

Exeter has the highest household income ($110k).

Essex Junction has the shortest commute (19 min average).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Exeter	Essex Junction
People
Population	16,151Highest	10,803Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S.	39.3±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.6%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%
	Essex Junction and Exeter 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%	14.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	52.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.7%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Essex Junction and Exeter 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 37% above U.S.	$89,257±$16kLowest 11% above U.S.
	Exeter and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S.	$407,500±$20kLowest 22% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S.	$1,544±$135Lowest 9% above U.S.
	Exeter and Essex Junction 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.	$6,797Lowest 118% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	61.3%±14.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Essex Junction and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	9.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	59.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S.	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 6% below U.S.	19 minLowest 27% below U.S.
Work from home	19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	16.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Exeter and Essex Junction 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	#14 of 70 in VT
School district	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51
High school in town	Exeter High School	Essex High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	11.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	59 photos →	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.