Compare towns
Exeter vs Lebanon vs St. Albans
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).
St. Albans has the most affordable homes ($263k 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 | Lebanon | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
14,999 |
6,954Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
38.9±3.1 about the U.S. average |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Albans and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Lebanon 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% |
57.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lebanon 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±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$98,147±$10k 22% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Lebanon 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. |
$385,400±$29k 16% above U.S. |
$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,744±$132 23% above U.S. |
$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Lebanon 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. |
$8,149 161% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and St. Albans 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% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lebanon 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 | #29 of 120 in NH | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Lebanon School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Lebanon High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.7 |
11.4Lowest |
| 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.