Compare towns
Exeter vs Lee vs Ogunquit vs Hampstead
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).
Lee has the highest household income ($132k).
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 | Lee | Ogunquit | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
4,576 |
1,379Lowest |
9,102 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9Lowest 10% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
45.3±6.1 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Lee and Hampstead 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% |
22.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Lee 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. |
$131,579±$54kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$112,348±$18k 39% above U.S. |
| Lee 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. |
$480,600±$61k 44% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$521,100±$45k 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
— | — | $1,299±$149Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$9,661Highest 210% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$8,634 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±20.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Hampstead 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% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Lee 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 | — | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Oyster River Coop School District | — | Hampstead 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 → | 10 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.