Compare towns
Exeter vs Hampstead vs Lyme vs Ogunquit
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).
Hampstead has the most kids (21.3% under 18).
Lyme has the highest household income ($134k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Hampstead | Lyme | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
9,102 |
1,710 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
45.3±6.1Lowest 16% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampstead and Lyme 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% |
21.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$112,348±$18k 39% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$521,100±$45k 57% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,299±$149Lowest 8% below U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$8,634 177% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±20.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Lyme 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 | #49 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Hampstead School District | Lyme 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 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.