What stands out worked out from the figures below

Goffstown has the most homeowners (82.7%).

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	Goffstown	Exeter
People
Population	18,513Highest	16,151Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.3±3.1Lowest 5% below NH	45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH
	Exeter and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16%±2.5Lowest NH: 18.2%	17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2%
	Exeter and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1%	24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1%
	Exeter and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%	59.2%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.5%±1.7Highest NH: 6%	6.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,958±$12kHighest 15% above NH	$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH
	Goffstown and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$377,400±$20kLowest 6% below NH	$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,231±$161Lowest 17% below NH	$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,941Lowest 4% above NH	$8,814Highest 32% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.1%±20Lowest NH: 48.2%	59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2%
	Exeter and Goffstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Highest NH: 7.2%	4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.7%Highest NH: 72.8%	69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH	1979Lowest same as NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 4% above NH	25 minLowest 7% below NH
Work from home	13.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 16.8%	19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#35 of 120 in NH	#22 of 120 in NH
School district	Goffstown School District	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District
High school in town	Goffstown High School	Exeter High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6Highest	12.1Lowest
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.