Compare towns
Exeter vs Orange vs Walden
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%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Orange | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
957Lowest |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
50.3±5.3Highest 29% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
| Orange and Walden 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% |
15.6%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Orange 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% |
19.4%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Walden 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 37% above U.S. |
$71,302±$13kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$222,000±$22kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,330±$153 6% below U.S. |
$900±$136Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,545Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±87Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.5%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden 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 | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 59 photos → | 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.