Compare towns
Holderness vs Exeter vs Plymouth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holderness has the most homeowners (83.7%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 22.8).
Plymouth is a college town. 42.5% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Holderness | Exeter | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
16,151Highest |
4,969 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
22.8±0.9Lowest 47% below NH |
| Exeter and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
9.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Holderness and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
63.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
42.5%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$89,500±$32kLowest 10% below NH |
| Exeter and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60k 10% below NH |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$294,400±$28kLowest 27% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,296±$295Lowest 13% below NH |
| Holderness and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$6,483 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±10.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 12.1% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
17%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
50.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
25 min 7% below NH |
16 minLowest 39% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
10.5%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Holderness 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 | 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.