Compare towns
Exeter vs Merrimac vs Kingston
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Merrimac has the most expensive homes ($553k median).
Kingston has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Merrimac | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
6,748 |
6,275Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
49.4±6.8 27% above U.S. |
55.5±5.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kingston and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.7%±6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Merrimac and Kingston 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% |
41% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$123,054±$16kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$105,330±$12kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Merrimac and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$553,400±$38kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$492,900±$58k 48% above U.S. |
| Merrimac and Kingston 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. |
$1,352±$325Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,393±$156 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$7,399Lowest 137% above U.S. |
$7,906 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.3%±29.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±46.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Merrimac and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Kingston 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 | #188 of 282 in MA | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Pentucket | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
| 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.