Compare towns
Exeter vs Plaistow vs Townsend
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%).
Plaistow has the most affordable homes ($405k median).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Plaistow | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
7,861Lowest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
40.1±3.7Lowest 3% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Townsend 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% |
19.8%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Plaistow 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% |
17.4%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Townsend 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. |
$108,317±$13kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Townsend 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 37% above U.S. |
$404,500±$32kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,664±$187 18% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Plaistow 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. |
$7,194 131% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.3%±16.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Plaistow 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% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Plaistow 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 | #66 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Timberlane Regional School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Timberlane Regional High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.