Compare towns
Exeter vs Goffstown vs South Hooksett
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 most people working from home (19.9%).
Goffstown has the most affordable homes ($377k median).
South Hooksett has the youngest population (median age 35.2).
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 | Goffstown | South Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151 |
18,513Highest |
5,902Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
41.3±3.1 5% below NH |
35.2±3.6Lowest 19% below NH |
| Exeter and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
16%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±3.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and South Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
19%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Goffstown 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% |
42.8% NH: 40.6% |
37.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
14.5%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
14.3%±0.8 NH: 6% |
| Goffstown and South Hooksett 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 11% above NH |
$113,958±$12k 15% above NH |
$130,000±$15kHighest 31% above NH |
| South Hooksett and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$377,400±$20kLowest 6% below NH |
$433,200±$40k 8% above NH |
| Exeter and South Hooksett 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 |
$1,231±$161Lowest 17% below NH |
$1,471±$217 about the NH average |
| Exeter and South Hooksett 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 |
$6,941 4% above NH |
$6,801Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
58.1%±20 NH: 48.2% |
36.1%±25Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Goffstown 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% |
6.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.7% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest same as NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.8%±2.2 NH: 16.8% |
7.1%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 120 in NH | #35 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Goffstown School District | — |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Goffstown High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | 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.