Compare towns
Exeter vs Meredith vs Bartlett vs Kingston
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 kids (17% under 18).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Bartlett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.8%).
Kingston has the most expensive homes ($493k 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 | Meredith | Bartlett | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
6,758 |
3,281Lowest |
6,275 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+14.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
57.4±4.7Highest 33% above NH |
55.5±5.7 28% above NH |
| Bartlett and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
7.5%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
13.5%±3.9 NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5 NH: 20.1% |
36.1%±9.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.7%±6 NH: 20.1% |
| Bartlett and Meredith 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 NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
36.4% NH: 40.6% |
35.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
0.1%±0.4Lowest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.1 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
$59,754±$9kLowest 40% below NH |
$105,330±$12k 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$371,400±$78kLowest 8% below NH |
$492,900±$58kHighest 22% above NH |
| Kingston and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,676±$97 12% above NH |
$1,393±$156 7% below NH |
| Exeter and Bartlett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$2,512Lowest 62% below NH |
$7,906 19% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
68.5%±37.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.9%±46.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Bartlett and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
10.5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
79%Highest NH: 72.8% |
74.4% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
31 min 15% above NH |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.5%±7.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.7%±4.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Exeter 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | #74 of 120 in NH | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Bartlett School District | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.1Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
| 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.