Compare towns
Exeter vs Gorham vs Gray vs Hampstead
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).
Gorham has the youngest population (median age 39.4).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Hampstead has the most expensive homes ($521k median).
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 | Gorham | Gray | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
18,300Highest |
8,429Lowest |
9,102 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
45.3±6.1 16% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Hampstead 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% |
20.9%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampstead and Gorham 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% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Hampstead 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6k 39% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$112,348±$18kHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Hampstead and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26k 39% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$521,100±$45kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Hampstead and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,299±$149Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Gorham 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. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$8,634 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±20.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampstead 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 | #24 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hampstead School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Gorham High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
12.5 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.