Compare towns
Exeter vs Ogunquit vs Atkinson vs Portsmouth
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 most kids (17% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Atkinson has the highest household income ($146k).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
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 | Ogunquit | Atkinson | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
1,379Lowest |
7,267 |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
57.1±2.8 47% above U.S. |
42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Atkinson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Atkinson 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Atkinson 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. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$146,380±$32kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$106,219±$7kLowest 32% above U.S. |
| Atkinson and Ogunquit 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. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$555,200±$65k 67% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39k 107% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
— | $1,140±$32Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,918 122% above U.S. |
$8,018 157% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.5%±39.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Atkinson 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 7% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.1%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 120 in NH | — | #32 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | Timberlane Regional School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | — | None in town | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
— | — | 11.4Lowest |
| 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.