Compare towns
Freedom vs Exeter vs Cornish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freedom has the oldest population (median age 60.6).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k 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 | Freedom | Exeter | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,494Lowest |
16,151Highest |
1,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.2Highest 40% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
54±8.3 25% above NH |
| Freedom and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.9%±5.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 40.3%±4.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,136±$14kLowest 33% below NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$91,821±$2k 7% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,000±$43k 3% below NH |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,478Lowest 48% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$5,796 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 79.6%±75Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Freedom and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the NH average |
25 min 7% below NH |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 18.5%±7.6 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter and Freedom 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 | Freedom School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Cornish School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.