Compare towns
Exeter vs Lee vs Auburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Lee has the most kids (21.9% under 18).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
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 | Lee | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
4,576Lowest |
6,119 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
42.9±1.9Lowest about the NH average |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
| Exeter and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Lee and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Lee 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 NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Auburn 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±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$153,253±$6kHighest 55% above NH |
| Auburn and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
— | $1,893±$822Highest 27% above NH |
| Auburn and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 32% above NH |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$8,092Lowest 21% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6% NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest same as NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
28 min about the NH average |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Auburn 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Auburn 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 Our Story | 59 photos → | 10 photos → | None yet |
NH 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.