Compare towns
Exeter vs Topsham vs Deerfield
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).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
Deerfield has the highest household income ($132k).
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 | Topsham | Deerfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
9,706 |
4,932Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
42.8±4.2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Topsham 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% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Deerfield and Topsham 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% |
24.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Topsham 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 37% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$131,563±$10kHighest 63% above U.S. |
| Deerfield 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 37% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$421,000±$33k 27% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Deerfield 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. |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,593±$318 13% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Deerfield 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. |
$4,259Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$7,369 136% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
17.4%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.4%±6.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Deerfield 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | #61 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Deerfield School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Mt Ararat High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.2Highest |
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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.