Compare towns
Exeter vs Upton vs Amherst 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Kingston has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Upton | Amherst | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
8,189 |
11,861 |
6,275Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5 18% above U.S. |
55.5±5.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kingston and Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.7%±6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kingston and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%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% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Amherst 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
$105,330±$12kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Upton and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$537,600±$30k 62% above U.S. |
$492,900±$58k 48% above U.S. |
| Upton and Amherst 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. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,462±$256 3% above U.S. |
$1,393±$156 about the U.S. average |
| Exeter and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$9,773Highest 213% above U.S. |
$7,906Lowest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±46.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
34 min 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst and Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #20 of 120 in NH | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Blackstone Valley | Souhegan Coop High School | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.2 |
10.4Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.