Compare towns
Exeter vs Swanzey vs Williston
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).
Swanzey has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Swanzey | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
7,398Lowest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
50±3.1Highest 29% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Swanzey 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% |
18%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Swanzey 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% |
24.2%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Swanzey 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% |
30.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 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. |
$81,595±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
$106,967±$12k 32% 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. |
$259,200±$15kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Williston and Exeter 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. |
$1,508±$303Lowest 7% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
| 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. |
$5,558Lowest 78% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Swanzey and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest 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 | #102 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Monadnock Regional School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Monadnock Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.