Compare towns
Exeter vs Lyme vs Williston vs Newfields
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).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
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 | Lyme | Williston | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
1,710Lowest |
10,144 |
2,023 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Lyme 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% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Lyme 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% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields 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±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Lyme 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. |
$1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Lyme 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% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1991 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Newfields 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Lyme School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.