Compare towns
Fairlee vs Bethlehem vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 63.5).
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
Exeter has the most expensive homes ($457k 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.
| Measure | Fairlee | Bethlehem | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54Lowest |
2,537 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 63.5±7.6Highest 63% above U.S. |
50.6±8.5 30% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 0%±52.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Bethlehem and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37%±54.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 11.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±26.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $21,071±$13kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$85,029±$18k 5% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $277,500±$28kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$288,300±$22k 13% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,057±$620Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,174±$81 17% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,750Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$5,418 74% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±55.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.3%±18.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 50%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | — | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.5%±30.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.2%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bethlehem and Fairlee 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 | — | #34 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | — | Profile Senior High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.9Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.