Compare towns

Kittery vs Exeter vs Henniker

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Exeter has the highest household income ($110k).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Henniker is a college town. 27% 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.

MeasureKitteryExeterHenniker
People
Population
10,473
16,151Highest
6,197Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+12.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+27.9%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
46.8±2.3Highest
20% above U.S.
45.8±2.3
18% above U.S.
31.1±6.1Lowest
20% below U.S.
Kittery and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
14.7%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
17%±2.7Highest
U.S.: 22%
15.3%±3.7
U.S.: 22%
Exeter and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
26.9%±4.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
24.4%±2.8
U.S.: 17.2%
16.5%±6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Kittery and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
46%
U.S.: 35.7%
59.2%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
41.4%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.5%±1.5Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.1%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
27%±6.5Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$93,728±$14kLowest
16% above U.S.
$110,346±$13kHighest
37% above U.S.
$95,206±$21k
18% above U.S.
Exeter and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$468,500±$31kHighest
41% above U.S.
$456,600±$21k
37% above U.S.
$356,700±$49kLowest
7% above U.S.
Kittery and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,716±$224
21% above U.S.
$1,856±$223Highest
31% above U.S.
$1,081±$164Lowest
23% below U.S.
Exeter and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,518Lowest
45% above U.S.
$8,814
183% above U.S.
$8,877Highest
185% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
38.8%±14.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
59%±11.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
43.5%±22.6
U.S.: 51.1%
Exeter and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
11.6%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
67.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
69.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
64.5%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1965Lowest
15 yrs older than U.S.
1979Highest
1 yr older than U.S.
1974
6 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
20 minLowest
24% below U.S.
25 minHighest
6% below U.S.
20 min
23% below U.S.
Work from home
22.7%±7.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
19.9%±3.7
U.S.: 15.1%
15.5%±5.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Kittery 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 #17 of 133 in ME #22 of 120 in NH #56 of 120 in NH
School district Kittery Public Schools Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District Henniker School District
High school in town Robert W Traip Academy Exeter High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
9.9Lowest
12.1Highest
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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.