Compare towns
Grafton vs Exeter vs Troy
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Grafton has the most homeowners (83.1%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Troy has the youngest population (median age 40.2).
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.
| Measure | Grafton | Exeter | Troy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,354Lowest |
16,151Highest |
2,005 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 43.1±10.6 about the NH average |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
40.2±5Lowest 7% below NH |
| Exeter and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.2%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Troy and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.6%±3.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
26.4% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.8 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
4.1%±2.4Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,563±$22kLowest 18% below NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$88,871±$14k 10% below NH |
| Exeter and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,300±$23k 34% below NH |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$266,600±$39kLowest 34% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,243±$163 17% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,024±$331Lowest 31% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,239 21% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$5,229Lowest 22% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.1%±34.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
43.1%±27.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
77.2% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 43 minHighest 62% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±6.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
10.1%±4.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Monadnock Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.