Compare towns
Franconia vs Exeter vs Hampton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Franconia has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Hampton has the most people working from home (21.7%).
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.
| Measure | Franconia | Exeter | Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,060Lowest |
16,151 |
16,426Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.6±7 28% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
55.8±2.1Highest 29% above NH |
| Hampton and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±5.5 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
11.6%±2.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 36.6%±6.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
30.9%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Franconia and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.9% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
42.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±5.4 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.1%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,292±$28kLowest 12% below NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$95,233±$9k 4% below NH |
| Exeter and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $530,300±$96k 32% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$550,200±$39kHighest 37% above NH |
| Hampton and Franconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,281±$278Lowest 14% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,628±$94 9% above NH |
| Exeter and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,451 12% above NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$6,813Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±74.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
56.8%±10.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Franconia and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 25% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
26 minHighest 3% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.9%±5.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
21.7%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hampton 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 | #31 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Lafayette Regional School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | Winnacunnet High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
10.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
NH 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.