Compare towns
Exeter vs Wakefield vs Needham vs Hampstead
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 affordable homes ($457k median).
Wakefield has the youngest population (median age 42.4).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
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 | Wakefield | Needham | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
27,793 |
32,459Highest |
9,102Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
45.3±6.1 16% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Hampstead 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% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Hampstead 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% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$112,348±$18k 39% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$521,100±$45k 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,299±$149Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$7,779Lowest 149% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,634 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±20.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Needham 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% |
4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 120 in NH | #179 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Needham | Hampstead School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Needham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.9 |
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| 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.