What stands out worked out from the figures below

Exeter has the most people working from home (14.4%).

Hope has the most affordable homes ($211k 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.

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

Measure	Exeter	Hope
People
Population	913Highest	587Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-14.4% NY: +4.2%	—
Median age	51.7±12.6Highest 30% above NY	50.3±8.5Lowest 26% above NY
	Exeter and Hope 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%	19.6%±0.7Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Exeter and Hope 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%	23.7%±10.2Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Exeter and Hope 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%	22.7%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1%±1.9Lowest NY: 7%	2.4%±3.1Highest NY: 7%
	Hope 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	$72,188±$13kLowest 16% below NY
	Exeter and Hope 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	$211,300±$106kLowest 50% below NY
	Exeter and Hope 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	$1,225±$217Highest 24% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,926Highest 56% below NY	$2,551Lowest 61% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest NY: 52.1%	61.9%±98.1Highest NY: 52.1%
	Hope 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%	17.5%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	97.7%Highest NY: 54.3%	90.3%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 18 yrs newer than NY	1967Lowest 8 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 12% below NY	28 minLowest 13% below NY
Work from home	14.4%±10.4Highest NY: 14.9%	6.6%±3.4Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Exeter and Hope 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.