What stands out worked out from the figures below

Exeter has the most expensive homes ($243k median).

Columbus has the most people working from home (22.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Exeter	Columbus
People
Population	913Highest	849Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-14.4%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-7.9%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	51.7±12.6Highest 30% above NY	43.6±11.8Lowest 10% above NY
	Exeter and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.7%±7.1Highest NY: 20.5%	21.8%±9Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Exeter and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.9%±10.5Highest NY: 17.9%	17.8%±6.1Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Exeter and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.2%Highest NY: 40.2%	19.1%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1%±1.9Lowest NY: 7%	2.8%±2.1Highest NY: 7%
	Columbus and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,550±$19kHighest 10% below NY	$58,889±$11kLowest 32% below NY
	Exeter and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$243,000±$89kHighest 43% below NY	$124,700±$36kLowest 71% below NY
	Exeter and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$867±$44Lowest 47% below NY	$1,500±$635Highest 7% below NY
	Columbus and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,926Lowest 56% below NY	$3,071Highest 53% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest NY: 52.1%	53.6%±92.3Highest NY: 52.1%
	Columbus and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.3%Lowest NY: 14%	9.6%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	97.7%Highest NY: 54.3%	88.2%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Lowest 18 yrs newer than NY	1983Highest 24 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 12% below NY	32 minHighest about the NY average
Work from home	14.4%±10.4Lowest NY: 14.9%	22.2%±16.1Highest NY: 14.9%
	Columbus and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

NY 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.