Compare towns
Exeter vs Strafford vs Whiting
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 people working from home (19.9%).
Strafford has the most homeowners (88.9%).
Whiting has the most affordable homes ($280k 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 | Strafford | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
1,372 |
532Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
39.6±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Strafford and Exeter 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%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Whiting and Strafford 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% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whiting and Exeter 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. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$91,250±$38kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Strafford 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. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$280,400±$36kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Strafford 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. |
$1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,204±$519 15% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Whiting 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. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
$4,227Lowest 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±37.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Whiting 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Strafford 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 | — | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Strafford School District | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — |
| 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.