Compare towns
Exeter vs Topsham vs Ogunquit 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).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Ogunquit | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
9,706 |
1,379Lowest |
6,275 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
44.7±4Lowest 15% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
55.5±5.7 43% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Kingston 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% |
19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.7%±6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%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% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1Lowest 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. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$105,330±$12k 30% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit 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±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$492,900±$58k 48% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
— | $1,393±$156 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,259Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$7,906 153% 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% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±46.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Kingston 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% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 120 in NH | #66 of 133 in ME | — | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Mt Ararat High School | — | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
12.2 |
— | 12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.