What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gilford has the most homeowners (93.1%).

Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).

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	Gilford	Exeter
People
Population	7,830Lowest	16,151Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	48.2±3.9Highest 11% above NH	45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH
	Gilford and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.6%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2%	17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Gilford and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.8%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1%	24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1%
	Exeter and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.4%Lowest NH: 40.6%	59.2%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6%	6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,635±$11kHighest 18% above NH	$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH
	Gilford and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$456,500±$56kLowest 13% above NH	$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH
	Exeter and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,150±$747Lowest 23% below NH	$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH
	Exeter and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,868Lowest 27% below NH	$8,814Highest 32% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.2%±8.5Highest NH: 48.2%	59%±11.3Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Gilford and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Highest NH: 7.2%	4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.1%Highest NH: 72.8%	69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH	1979Lowest same as NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 18% below NH	25 minHighest 7% below NH
Work from home	16.9%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8%	19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8%
	Exeter and Gilford 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	#45 of 120 in NH	#22 of 120 in NH
School district	Gilford School District	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District
High school in town	Gilford High School	Exeter High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.5Lowest	12.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	59 photos →

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.