Compare towns

Exeter vs St. Albans vs White River Junction

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 expensive homes ($457k median).
St. Albans has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
White River Junction has the shortest commute (15 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.

MeasureExeterSt. AlbansWhite River Junction
People
Population
16,151Highest
6,954
3,364Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+12.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-0.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.8±2.3Highest
18% above U.S.
38.7±2
about the U.S. average
33.7±3.2Lowest
13% below U.S.
Kids under 18
17%±2.7Lowest
U.S.: 22%
20.5%±3.7Highest
U.S.: 22%
17.1%±5
U.S.: 22%
St. Albans and White River Junction 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%±2.5
U.S.: 17.2%
12.5%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
59.2%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
31.7%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
38.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.1%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.7%±1.6
U.S.: 6.4%
1.2%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Exeter and St. Albans 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.
$57,980±$7kLowest
28% below U.S.
$77,168±$4k
4% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$456,600±$21kHighest
37% above U.S.
$263,400±$18kLowest
21% below U.S.
$278,800±$78k
16% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,856±$223Highest
31% above U.S.
$1,150±$78Lowest
19% below U.S.
$1,222±$216
14% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,814Highest
183% above U.S.
$4,436Lowest
42% above U.S.
$5,651
81% 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%
42.9%±17.3Lowest
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%
12.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
69.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
49%
U.S.: 65.2%
43.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1979Highest
1 yr older than U.S.
1945Lowest
35 yrs older than U.S.
1963
17 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 minHighest
6% below U.S.
23 min
14% below U.S.
15 minLowest
42% below U.S.
Work from home
19.9%±3.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
12.1%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
15.7%±5.8
U.S.: 15.1%
Exeter and White River Junction 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 —
School district Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 —
High school in town Exeter High School Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) —
Students per teacherat that high school
12.1Highest
11.4Lowest
—
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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.