Compare towns
Exeter vs Lunenburg vs Ashby
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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Lunenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.8%).
Ashby has the most homeowners (95.5%).
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 | Lunenburg | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
11,902 |
3,211Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
43.2±2.1Lowest 11% above U.S. |
50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lunenburg 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% |
17.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Ashby 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% |
44% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Lunenburg 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. |
$112,828±$11k 40% above U.S. |
$115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$463,900±$24kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$390,500±$30kLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,974±$586Highest 40% above U.S. |
$1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Exeter 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. |
$6,401 105% above U.S. |
$6,034Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±13.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Lunenburg 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% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Ashby 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 | #87 of 282 in MA | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Lunenburg | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Lunenburg High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.4Highest |
— |
| 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.