Compare towns
Kingston vs Sunapee 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
Kingston has the most expensive homes ($493k median).
Sunapee has the most affordable homes ($393k median).
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 | Kingston | Sunapee | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,275 |
3,416Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% NH: +4.6% |
-0.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.5±5.7 28% above NH |
56.7±1.4Highest 31% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
| Sunapee and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.9 NH: 18.2% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±6 NH: 20.1% |
33.3%±7.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Sunapee and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
4.5%±3.5 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $105,330±$12k 6% above NH |
$101,393±$20kLowest about the NH average |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
| Exeter and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $492,900±$58kHighest 22% above NH |
$393,000±$51kLowest about the NH average |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
| Kingston and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,393±$156Lowest 7% below NH |
$1,713±$451 15% above NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
| Exeter and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,906 19% above NH |
$4,400Lowest 34% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±46.4 NH: 48.2% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% NH: 72.8% |
75.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above NH |
33 min 23% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.7%±4.3 NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter and Kingston 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 | #78 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sanborn Regional School District | Sunapee School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Sanborn Regional High School | Sunapee Sr. High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
11.9Lowest |
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.