Compare towns
Exeter vs Nelson vs Roxbury
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 expensive homes ($457k median).
Nelson has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Roxbury has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Nelson | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
648 |
299Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-13.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
42.3±11.7Lowest about the NH average |
43.2±17.7 about the NH average |
| Exeter and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
27.5%±6.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±11.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.8%±2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.4%±10.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Nelson 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% NH: 40.6% |
61.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
13.4%±15.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Roxbury and Exeter 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 |
$99,792±$23k about the NH average |
$69,226±$14kLowest 30% below NH |
| Exeter and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$340,900±$49k 15% below NH |
$323,100±$219kLowest 20% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,203±$243Lowest 19% below NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$5,575Lowest 16% below NH |
$5,787 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
40%±68.8 NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
90.2% NH: 72.8% |
95.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest same as NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 7% below NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
31.5%±8Highest NH: 16.8% |
0.7%±1.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Nelson 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 | — | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Nelson School District | — |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | 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.