Compare towns
Exeter vs Surry vs Hudson
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).
Surry has the most affordable homes ($331k median).
Hudson has the highest household income ($124k).
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 | Surry | Hudson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151 |
1,052Lowest |
25,557Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12% NH: +4.6% |
+3.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
44.7±5.1Lowest 3% above NH |
45.7±1.9 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
20.8%±6.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Surry and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
23.3%±7 NH: 20.1% |
20.7%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Surry 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% |
31.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
34.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.6%±6.6 NH: 6% |
7%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Hudson and Surry 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 11% above NH |
$110,125±$25kLowest 11% above NH |
$124,213±$6kHighest 25% above NH |
| Hudson 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 13% above NH |
$331,400±$23kLowest 18% below NH |
$438,900±$11k 9% above NH |
| Exeter and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,955±$374Highest 31% above NH |
$1,735±$123Lowest 16% above NH |
| Surry and Exeter 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 |
$6,384Lowest 4% below NH |
$6,636 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
33.3%±74.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
34.3%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
31 minHighest 18% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
16%±7.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.6%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter and Hudson 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 | — | #63 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | Hudson School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | — | Alvirne High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
— | 11.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.