Compare towns
Hopkinton vs Newmarket 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
Hopkinton has the most homeowners (87.3%).
Newmarket has the most renters (47.1% rent).
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.
| Measure | Hopkinton | Newmarket | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,037Lowest |
9,463 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+5.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.8 4% above NH |
41.2±1.9Lowest 5% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Hopkinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Hopkinton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
16.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Hopkinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.2% NH: 40.6% |
49.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±4.4Highest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Hopkinton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $137,477±$21kHighest 39% above NH |
$100,845±$13kLowest about the NH average |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Hopkinton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,900±$54kHighest 26% above NH |
$455,000±$22kLowest 13% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
| Hopkinton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,270±$129Lowest 15% below NH |
$1,671±$69 12% above NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
| Exeter and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,734Lowest 31% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±8.3 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Newmarket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 11 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below NH |
28 minHighest 6% above NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 23.8%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
17.3%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Hopkinton and Exeter 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 | #28 of 120 in NH | #39 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hopkinton School District | Newmarket School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Hopkinton High School | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0 |
9.9Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| 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.