Compare towns
Kingston vs Sutton vs Meredith 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).
Sutton has the most homeowners (95.7%).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
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 | Sutton | Meredith | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,275 |
2,239Lowest |
6,758 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.5±5.7Highest 28% above NH |
48.1±4.1 11% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.9 NH: 18.2% |
20.5%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Sutton and Exeter 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% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith 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% |
44.3% NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.1 NH: 6% |
4.9%±3.6 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Sutton 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 |
$130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Sutton and Exeter 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 |
$362,600±$16kLowest 10% below NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
| Kingston and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,393±$156 7% below NH |
$1,656±$614 11% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
| Exeter and Sutton 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 |
$7,652 15% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±46.4 NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Meredith 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% |
4.8% NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% NH: 72.8% |
95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above NH |
29 min 10% above NH |
26 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.7%±4.3 NH: 16.8% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith 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 | #78 of 120 in NH | — | #62 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sanborn Regional School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Sanborn Regional High School | Kearsarge Regional High School | Inter-Lakes High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
10.4Lowest |
11.1 |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.