What stands out worked out from the figures below

Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).

New Ipswich has the most kids (29.9% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Exeter	New Ipswich
People
Population	16,151Highest	5,310Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6%	+2.1%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH	36.9±2.4Lowest 15% below NH
Kids under 18	17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2%	29.9%±5.7Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1%	12.3%±3Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.2%Highest NH: 40.6%	32.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6%	2.6%±1.4Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH	$110,507±$9kHighest 12% above NH
	New Ipswich 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±$21kHighest 13% above NH	$392,400±$31kLowest about the NH average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH	$882±$469Lowest 41% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,814Highest 32% above NH	$5,647Lowest 15% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59%±11.3Lowest NH: 48.2%	61.7%±41.5Highest NH: 48.2%
	New Ipswich and Exeter 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%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8%	82.7%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Lowest same as NH	1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 7% below NH	33 minHighest 22% above NH
Work from home	19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8%	12%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Exeter and New Ipswich 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	#82 of 120 in NH
School district	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District	Mascenic Regional School District
High school in town	Exeter High School	Mascenic Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	11.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	59 photos →	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.