Compare towns
Kingston vs Sunapee vs Wilder vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kingston has the most expensive homes ($493k median).
Sunapee has the oldest population (median age 56.7).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
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 | Wilder | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,275 |
3,416 |
3,087Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±5.7 43% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9Lowest 17% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Wilder 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 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 | $105,330±$12k 30% above U.S. |
$101,393±$20k 26% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| 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 48% above U.S. |
$393,000±$51k 18% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| 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±$156 about the U.S. average |
$1,713±$451 21% above U.S. |
$1,142±$451Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,906 153% above U.S. |
$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$5,505 76% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±46.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.7%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.