Compare towns
Exeter vs Williston vs Hampstead 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 the most renters (30.9% rent).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Hampstead has the most homeowners (82.1%).
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 | Williston | Hampstead | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
10,144 |
9,102 |
6,275Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
45.3±6.1Lowest 16% above U.S. |
55.5±5.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampstead and Williston 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% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Williston 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. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$112,348±$18kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$105,330±$12kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Hampstead 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±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$521,100±$45kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$492,900±$58k 48% above U.S. |
| Hampstead and Kingston 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. |
$1,299±$149Lowest 8% below U.S. |
$1,393±$156 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. |
$8,634 177% above U.S. |
$7,906 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±20.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±46.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Williston 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% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Hampstead 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 | #49 of 120 in NH | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Hampstead School District | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | — | 12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.