Compare towns
Exeter vs Gorham vs Hampden
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).
Hampden has the most affordable homes ($301k 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 | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151 |
18,300Highest |
7,896Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
41±2.9 5% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Hampden 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% |
25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden 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%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% 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% |
5.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$111,959±$13k 39% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Hampden 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±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$301,300±$38kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Gorham 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 31% above U.S. |
$1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
$1,286±$317Lowest 9% 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. |
$3,694Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampden 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 | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Gorham High School | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.9 |
14.8Highest |
| 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.