Compare towns
Exeter vs Sunapee vs Hampton
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Sunapee has the most affordable homes ($393k median).
Hampton has the most expensive homes ($550k 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 | Sunapee | Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151 |
3,416Lowest |
16,426Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
55.8±2.1 29% above NH |
| Sunapee and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
11.6%±2.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
30.9%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Sunapee and Hampton 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% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
42.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5 NH: 6% |
3.1%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Sunapee 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 11% above NH |
$101,393±$20k about the NH average |
$95,233±$9kLowest 4% below NH |
| Exeter and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$393,000±$51kLowest about the NH average |
$550,200±$39kHighest 37% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,713±$451 15% above NH |
$1,628±$94Lowest 9% above NH |
| Exeter and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
$6,813 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
56.8%±10.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest same as NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
33 minHighest 23% above NH |
26 min 3% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21.7%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hampton 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 | #14 of 120 in NH | #31 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Sunapee School District | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Sunapee Sr. High School | Winnacunnet High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.9 |
10.1Lowest |
| 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.