Compare towns
Exeter vs St. Albans vs Keene
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%).
St. Albans has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
Keene has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | St. Albans | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151 |
6,954Lowest |
22,939Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
38.7±2 about the U.S. average |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Albans and Exeter 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% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and St. Albans 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% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Keene 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 | #46 of 70 in VT | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.4Lowest |
12.3Highest |
| 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.