Compare towns
Exeter vs Sheldon vs Williamstown
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%).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Williamstown has the most affordable homes ($235k 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 | Sheldon | Williamstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
2,267Lowest |
3,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42±5 8% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Williamstown 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% |
23.7%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Sheldon and Williamstown 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% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
14.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
17.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Williamstown 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. |
$78,533±$25kLowest about the U.S. average |
$94,418±$10k 17% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Williamstown 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. |
$272,400±$61k 18% below U.S. |
$234,900±$24kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,286±$379Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$1,659±$189 17% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Williamstown 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. |
$3,578Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$3,841 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williamstown 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% |
5.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Williamstown 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 | — | #47 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Williamstown Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
— | 9.5Lowest |
| 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.