Compare towns
Exeter vs Kingston vs Ogunquit vs Readfield
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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Readfield has the most affordable homes ($326k 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 | Kingston | Ogunquit | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
6,275 |
1,379Lowest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
55.5±5.7 43% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
48.1±7.6 24% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Readfield and Exeter 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% |
24.7%±6 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Ogunquit 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. |
$105,330±$12k 30% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$86,504±$8kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit 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 37% above U.S. |
$492,900±$58k 48% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$326,400±$20kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,393±$156 about the U.S. average |
— | $1,125±$844Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$7,906 153% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,392Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±46.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Kingston 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% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.3%±14.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Readfield 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 | #78 of 120 in NH | — | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Sanborn Regional School District | — | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Sanborn Regional High School | — | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
12.9Highest |
— | 11.5Lowest |
| 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.