Compare towns
Exeter vs Gorham vs Whitefield
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%).
Gorham has the most affordable homes ($162k median).
Whitefield has the most renters (37.4% rent).
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 | Whitefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
2,682 |
2,516Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-5.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
53.9±3.6Highest 24% above NH |
51.4±4.6 19% above NH |
| Gorham and Whitefield 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% |
12.5%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.3%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
31.7%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
28.6%±5.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Gorham and Whitefield 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% |
20.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
26.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.7%±2.8Highest NH: 6% |
5.9%±3.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Gorham 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 11% above NH |
$61,275±$7kLowest 38% below NH |
$63,125±$12k 36% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$161,600±$49kLowest 60% below NH |
$240,400±$22k 40% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$838±$83Lowest 44% below NH |
$1,077±$160 28% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$4,334Lowest 35% below NH |
$4,394 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
41%±20.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
47.9%±15.6 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Whitefield 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% |
4.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% NH: 72.8% |
71.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest same as NH |
1971 8 yrs older than NH |
1965Lowest 14 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
1.7%±1.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
7.2%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 120 in NH | #57 of 120 in NH | #86 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District | White Mountains Regional School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Gorham High School | White Mountains Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
9.0 |
7.9Lowest |
| 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.