Compare towns
Exeter vs Wolfeboro vs Williston
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).
Wolfeboro has the oldest population (median age 57).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Wolfeboro | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
6,571Lowest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest 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% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 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. |
$94,375±$22kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% 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. |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Williston 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. |
$1,103±$76Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
| 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. |
$4,531Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 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% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 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 | #46 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Kingswood Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.