Compare towns
Fairlee vs Exeter vs Rochester
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 56.2).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Exeter | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,066Lowest |
16,151Highest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.2%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$72,676±$8kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$253,600±$81kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$242 23% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$929±$158Lowest 34% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,617 80% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.