Compare towns
Exeter vs Lowell vs Springfield
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 people working from home (19.9%).
Lowell has the most renters (56.8% rent).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k 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 | Lowell | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Lowest |
118,368 |
154,749Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8 8% below U.S. |
33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.2%±0.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±0.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4k about the U.S. average |
$52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$429,200±$11k 29% above U.S. |
$245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Lowell 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. |
$1,625±$40 15% above U.S. |
$1,144±$55Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Lowell 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. |
$4,499 44% above U.S. |
$3,695Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±3.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Springfield 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% |
16.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 120 in NH | #255 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Lowell | Springfield |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Lowell High | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
14.8Highest |
12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.