Compare towns
Exeter vs Mason vs Auburn vs Newfields
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).
Mason has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
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 | Mason | Auburn | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
1,451Lowest |
6,119 |
2,023 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+4.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
43.7±2.3Lowest about the NH average |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
44.1±1.8 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% |
28.8%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Mason 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% |
15.6%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
13.6%±0.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% NH: 40.6% |
39.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
68.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
7.5%±7.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Newfields and Auburn 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 |
$111,090±$3k 12% above NH |
$153,253±$6k 55% above NH |
$197,885±$15kHighest 100% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$384,000±$21kLowest 5% below NH |
$600,300±$29k 49% above NH |
$646,400±$34kHighest 61% above NH |
| Newfields and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
$2,530±$852Highest 70% above NH |
$1,893±$822 27% above NH |
$1,875±$323 26% above NH |
| Mason and Auburn 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 |
$7,049Lowest 6% above NH |
$8,092 21% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
87.2%±42.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
43.3%±40.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Mason and Exeter 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% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.5% NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
90.7% NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest same as NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
41 minHighest 53% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
20.7%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
25.5%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn 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 | — | #44 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Mason School District | Auburn School District | 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 |
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.