Compare towns
Hartford vs Eliot vs Exeter vs Wilder
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hartford has the most kids (18% under 18).
Eliot has the most homeowners (79.8%).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | Hartford | Eliot | Exeter | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,736 |
7,146 |
16,151Highest |
3,087Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9 17% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hartford and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilder and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,142±$451Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773 85% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,505 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 30% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Eliot 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | #19 of 133 in ME | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Hartford School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | None in town | Exeter High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.