Compare towns
Exeter vs Fairfax vs Newfields
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 renters (30.9% rent).
Fairfax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
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 | Fairfax | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
5,226 |
2,023Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+17%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
38.8±3.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.1±1.8 13% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Newfields 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% |
24%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Fairfax and Newfields 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% |
12.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields 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±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$128,963±$29k 60% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$378,200±$22kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,080±$131Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$5,497Lowest 76% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Fairfax 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% |
5.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1994Highest 14 yrs newer than U.S. |
1991 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Fairfax and Newfields 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 | #36 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Fairfax School District | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
9.8Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 59 photos → | 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.