What stands out worked out from the figures below

Exeter has the shortest commute (22 min average).

Roxbury has the oldest population (median age 54.7).

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	Roxbury
People
Population	7,195Highest	2,185Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.5% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	37.7±5.9Lowest 3% below U.S.	54.7±1.8Highest 41% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22%	14.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Exeter and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	31%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	65.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.8%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Exeter and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$111,250±$30kLowest 38% above U.S.	$123,864±$27kHighest 53% above U.S.
	Roxbury and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$509,200±$43kLowest 53% above U.S.	$714,500±$77kHighest 115% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,317±$307Lowest 7% below U.S.	$1,713±$418Highest 21% above U.S.
	Roxbury and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,881Lowest 89% above U.S.	$6,591Highest 111% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	91%±26.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	61.5%±48.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Exeter and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	82.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S.	1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 15% below U.S.	37 minHighest 39% above U.S.
Work from home	17.2%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Roxbury and Exeter 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	#14 of 38 in RI	—
School district	Exeter-West Greenwich	Regional School District 12
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.