Compare towns
Exeter vs Gray vs Wells vs Newfields
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).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
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 | Gray | Wells | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
8,429 |
11,713 |
2,023Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8 13% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields 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±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfields 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
12.5Highest |
11.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.