Compare towns
Exeter vs Needham vs Stoneham 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 the shortest commute (25 min average).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Stoneham has the youngest population (median age 42.2).
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 | Needham | Stoneham | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
32,459Highest |
23,355 |
6,275Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
42.2±2.2Lowest 8% above U.S. |
55.5±5.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.7%±6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kingston 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% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Needham 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. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$113,964±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$105,330±$12kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$671,900±$26k 102% above U.S. |
$492,900±$58k 48% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$2,035±$142 44% above U.S. |
$1,393±$156Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,523Lowest 109% above U.S. |
$7,906 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±46.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Needham 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% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 120 in NH | #19 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Needham | Stoneham | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Needham High | Stoneham High | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.9 |
10.7Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.