Compare towns
Exeter vs Plainfield vs Amesbury
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 people working from home (19.9%).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (87.3%).
Amesbury has the most expensive homes ($519k median).
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 | Plainfield | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151 |
2,522Lowest |
17,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Amesbury 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% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Plainfield 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% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Plainfield 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. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Plainfield 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±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kLowest 33% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32kHighest 56% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,674±$181Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Amesbury 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. |
$7,904 153% above U.S. |
$7,360Lowest 136% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Exeter 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Plainfield 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Plainfield School District | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
— | 10.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.