What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k 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.

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

Measure	Exeter	Reading
People
Population	16,151Lowest	25,612Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S.	43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S.
	Exeter and Reading 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%	22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	20.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Exeter and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S.	$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S.	$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,856±$223Lowest 31% above U.S.	$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S.
	Reading and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,814Lowest 183% above U.S.	$9,320Highest 199% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.	1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 6% below U.S.	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.
Work from home	19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#22 of 120 in NH	#50 of 282 in MA
School district	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District	Reading
High school in town	Exeter High School	Reading Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1	12.1
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	59 photos →	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.