Compare towns
Exeter vs Benson vs Strafford
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 homeowners (97.7%).
Benson has the most people working from home (18.6%).
Strafford has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
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 | Benson | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 913 |
784Lowest |
1,372Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -14.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.7±12.6 33% above U.S. |
51.9±9.4Highest 33% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Lowest 32% above U.S. |
| Benson and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±7.1 U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±10.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Benson and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,550±$19kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$78,625±$8k about the U.S. average |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,000±$89k 27% below U.S. |
$242,000±$26kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $867±$44Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$1,113±$170 21% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Highest 20% below U.S. |
| Strafford and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,926Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$4,125 32% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±35.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Benson and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.4%±10.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Benson and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.