What stands out worked out from the figures below

Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).

Whitefield has the most affordable homes ($240k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Exeter	Whitefield
People
Population	16,151Highest	2,516Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6%	+8%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH	51.4±4.6Highest 19% above NH
	Whitefield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2%	14.3%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Exeter and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1%	28.6%±5.4Highest NH: 20.1%
	Whitefield 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%Highest NH: 40.6%	26.7%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6%	5.9%±3.2Lowest NH: 6%
	Exeter and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH	$63,125±$12kLowest 36% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH	$240,400±$22kLowest 40% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH	$1,077±$160Lowest 28% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,814Highest 32% above NH	$4,394Lowest 34% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2%	47.9%±15.6Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Exeter and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2%	11%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.1%Highest NH: 72.8%	62.6%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest same as NH	1965Lowest 14 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 7% below NH	26 minHighest about the NH average
Work from home	19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8%	7.2%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#22 of 120 in NH	#86 of 120 in NH
School district	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District	White Mountains Regional School District
High school in town	Exeter High School	White Mountains Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	7.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	59 photos →	None yet

NH 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.