Compare towns
Exeter vs Milton vs Reading vs Hampstead
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%).
Milton has the most expensive homes ($933k median).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
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 | Milton | Reading | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
28,587Highest |
25,612 |
9,102Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.1±1.8Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
45.3±6.1 16% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Hampstead 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% |
25.3%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Milton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Hampstead 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% |
71.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$188,529±$15kHighest 134% above U.S. |
$165,912±$13k 106% above U.S. |
$112,348±$18k 39% above U.S. |
| Milton and Reading 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. |
$933,200±$31kHighest 180% above U.S. |
$809,000±$22k 143% above U.S. |
$521,100±$45k 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,474±$281 4% above U.S. |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,299±$149Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Reading 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. |
$9,677Highest 210% above U.S. |
$9,320 199% above U.S. |
$8,634Lowest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±20.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Milton 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% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.7%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Milton 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 | #55 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Milton | Reading | Hampstead School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Milton High | Reading Memorial High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.4Highest |
12.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.