Compare towns
Exeter vs Grantham vs North Hampton
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 renters (30.9% rent).
Grantham has the most affordable homes ($343k median).
North Hampton has the most expensive homes ($670k 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 | Grantham | North Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
3,465Lowest |
4,543 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+14%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
50.4±7.5 16% above NH |
50.5±3.3Highest 17% above NH |
| North Hampton and Grantham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.1%±6.6 NH: 18.2% |
19.2%±5.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| North Hampton and Grantham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
17%±6.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26%±4.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| North Hampton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% NH: 40.6% |
59.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
54.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±6 NH: 6% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Grantham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$106,403±$54kLowest 7% above NH |
$146,458±$29kHighest 48% above NH |
| North Hampton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$343,100±$39kLowest 15% below NH |
$670,400±$61kHighest 67% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
— | $1,805±$106Lowest 21% above NH |
| Exeter and North Hampton 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 |
$7,605Lowest 14% above NH |
$8,529 28% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
— | 23.5%±21Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
100%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest same as NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 7% below NH |
23 minLowest 16% below NH |
25 min 8% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
13.8%±6.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
25.9%±6.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| North Hampton 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 | #6 of 120 in NH | #12 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Grantham School District | North Hampton School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — |
| 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.