Compare towns
Exeter vs Guildhall vs Lancaster
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 people working from home (19.9%).
Guildhall has the most homeowners (93.7%).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($216k 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 | Guildhall | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
371Lowest |
3,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -8.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
42.6±7.8Lowest 10% above U.S. |
45.5±6.9 17% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Lancaster 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% |
22.6%±7.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±6.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Guildhall and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Guildhall 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% |
33.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Lancaster 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. |
$115,000±$46kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$68,911±$23kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Guildhall 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±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$321,200±$62k 3% below U.S. |
$215,700±$24kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$850±$717Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$1,019±$263 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,625 48% above U.S. |
$4,226Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
75%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.1%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Guildhall and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Lancaster 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 | — | #107 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | White Mountains Regional School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.