Compare towns
Exeter vs Williston vs Wolfeboro 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%).
Wolfeboro has the most expensive homes ($547k 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 | Williston | Wolfeboro | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
10,144 |
6,571 |
6,275Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
55.5±5.7 43% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Exeter 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% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.7%±6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wolfeboro and Kingston 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% |
45% 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% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1 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±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$94,375±$22kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$105,330±$12k 30% 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±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$492,900±$58k 48% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro 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. |
$1,103±$76Lowest 22% 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. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$4,531Lowest 45% 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% |
12%±11.6Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest 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% |
78.1%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. |
1982 2 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. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wolfeboro 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 | #46 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 | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Kingswood Regional High School | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | 11.1Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.