Compare towns

Exeter vs Sullivan vs Williston vs Kingston

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 renters (30.9% rent).
Sullivan has the most affordable homes ($237k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Kingston has the oldest population (median age 55.5).

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.

MeasureExeterSullivanWillistonKingston
People
Population
16,151Highest
687Lowest
10,144
6,275
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+12.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
-2.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.9%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.8±2.3
18% above U.S.
46.6±6.5
20% above U.S.
45.4±4.5Lowest
17% above U.S.
55.5±5.7Highest
43% above U.S.
Kingston and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
17%±2.7
U.S.: 22%
16.3%±5
U.S.: 22%
20.5%±5.2Highest
U.S.: 22%
13.5%±3.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Williston 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
U.S.: 17.2%
20.5%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
21%±3.5
U.S.: 17.2%
24.7%±6Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Kingston 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
U.S.: 35.7%
28.5%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
54.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
35.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.1%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.9%±2.6
U.S.: 6.4%
5.7%±2.7
U.S.: 6.4%
3.6%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Exeter and Williston 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.
$106,667±$20k
32% above U.S.
$106,967±$12k
32% above U.S.
$105,330±$12kLowest
30% above U.S.
Exeter and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$456,600±$21k
37% above U.S.
$236,500±$29kLowest
29% below U.S.
$475,800±$40k
43% above U.S.
$492,900±$58kHighest
48% above U.S.
Kingston and Williston 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.
$1,225±$275Lowest
13% below U.S.
$1,832±$130
30% above U.S.
$1,393±$156
about the U.S. average
Exeter and Williston 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.
$5,099Lowest
63% above U.S.
$5,592
79% above U.S.
$7,906
153% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
59%±11.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
40%±84.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±17.4
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±46.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Exeter and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
2.1%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
69.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
93.6%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
75.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
74.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1979Lowest
1 yr older than U.S.
1979Lowest
1 yr older than U.S.
1993Highest
13 yrs newer than U.S.
1982
2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 min
6% below U.S.
32 min
22% above U.S.
20 minLowest
25% below U.S.
34 minHighest
29% above U.S.
Work from home
19.9%±3.7
U.S.: 15.1%
4.2%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.3%±7.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
15.7%±4.3
U.S.: 15.1%
Williston 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 — #11 of 70 in VT #78 of 120 in NH
School district Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District — Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 Sanborn Regional School District
High school in town Exeter High School — None in town Sanborn Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school
12.1Lowest
— —
12.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 59 photos → None yet 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.