Compare towns
Exeter vs Townsend vs Becket
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 people working from home (19.9%).
Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).
Becket has the most homeowners (98.2%).
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 | Townsend | Becket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
9,100 |
1,962Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
49.6±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Becket and Exeter 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% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.3%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Becket 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% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Townsend 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. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$80,417±$29kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Townsend 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. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$361,000±$82kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$2,107±$1kHighest 49% above U.S. |
| Becket and Exeter 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. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
$3,047Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Becket and Exeter 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% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
36 min 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Becket 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | North Middlesex | Central Berkshire |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
13.1Highest |
— |
| 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.