Compare towns
Exeter vs Middlebury vs Reading 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 23.7).
Reading has the oldest population (median age 51.1).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury | Reading | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
7,220 |
699Lowest |
2,023 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
23.7±1.3Lowest 39% below U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8 13% above U.S. |
| Reading and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Newfields and Reading 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% |
19.8%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading 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% |
61.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
40.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$86,250±$18k 7% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$417,400±$31k 25% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,201±$120 15% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below 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. |
$6,795 118% above U.S. |
$5,754Lowest 84% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.6%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading 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% |
15.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfields and Reading 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 | #17 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | — | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 59 photos → | 6 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.