Compare towns
Exeter vs Wilder vs Durham
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 kids (17% under 18).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Wilder | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
3,087Lowest |
15,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9 17% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Wilder 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% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilder 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
| Durham 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. |
$273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Durham and Exeter 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. |
$1,142±$451Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$5,505Lowest 76% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham 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% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Durham 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | — | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.