What stands out worked out from the figures below

Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).

Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Exeter	Lawrence
People
Population	16,151Lowest	88,736Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S.	32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S.
Kids under 18	17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Exeter and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S.	$60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S.	$415,200±$23kLowest 25% above U.S.
	Exeter and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S.	$1,662±$50Lowest 18% above U.S.
	Exeter and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,814Highest 183% above U.S.	$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lawrence 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%	17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.	1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 6% below U.S.	23 minLowest 13% below U.S.
Work from home	19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#22 of 120 in NH	#278 of 282 in MA
School district	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District	Lawrence
High school in town	Exeter High School	Lawrence High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Lowest	13.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	59 photos →	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.