Compare towns
Exeter vs Sugar Hill vs Hampstead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Sugar Hill has the highest household income ($154k).
Hampstead has the most kids (21.3% under 18).
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 | Sugar Hill | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
658Lowest |
9,102 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+14.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
60.8±2.1Highest 40% above NH |
45.3±6.1Lowest 5% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Hampstead and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
37.2%±12.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Sugar Hill and Exeter 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 NH: 40.6% |
59% NH: 40.6% |
44.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
2%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$154,091±$32kHighest 56% above NH |
$112,348±$18k 13% above NH |
| Sugar Hill and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$639,700±$50kHighest 59% above NH |
$521,100±$45k 29% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,208±$630Lowest 19% below NH |
$1,299±$149 13% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$7,340Lowest 10% above NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
40%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1964Lowest 15 yrs older than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
16.8%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hampstead and Exeter 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 | — | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | Hampstead School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.