Compare towns
Exeter vs Williston vs Calais
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 renters (30.9% rent).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Calais has the most homeowners (92.4%).
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 | Williston | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
10,144 |
1,713Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Williston 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% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Williston 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% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Calais 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% |
54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Exeter 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 37% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27kLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Williston 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. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$390,300±$36kLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Williston 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. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,408±$392Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Exeter and Williston 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. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$6,586 111% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Calais 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% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Calais and Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.