Compare towns
Grafton vs Grantham vs Exeter
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 affordable homes ($267k median).
Grantham has the most homeowners (100%).
Exeter has the most expensive homes ($457k 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 | Grafton | Grantham | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,354Lowest |
3,465 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+14%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 43.1±10.6Lowest about the NH average |
50.4±7.5Highest 16% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
| Grantham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±4.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.1%±6.6 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Grafton and Grantham 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% |
17%±6.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest 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% |
59.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.8Lowest NH: 6% |
4.8%±6 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Grantham 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 |
$106,403±$54k 7% above NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
| Exeter and Grantham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,300±$23kLowest 34% below NH |
$343,100±$39k 15% below NH |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,243±$163Lowest 17% below NH |
— | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,239Lowest 21% below NH |
$7,605 14% above NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.1%±34.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
— | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Grafton 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% |
0%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1% NH: 72.8% |
100%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 43 minHighest 62% above NH |
23 minLowest 16% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±6.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.8%±6.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #6 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Grantham School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.