What stands out worked out from the figures below

Laconia has the shortest commute (17 min average).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Laconia	Exeter
People
Population	17,085Highest	16,151Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	45.3±3.9Lowest 5% above NH	45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH
	Exeter and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.4%±2.9Highest NH: 18.2%	17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Laconia and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.8%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1%	24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1%
	Exeter and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%	59.2%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%	6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$73,218±$12kLowest 26% below NH	$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$340,300±$16kLowest 15% below NH	$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,224±$107Lowest 18% below NH	$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,484Lowest 33% below NH	$8,814Highest 32% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.5%±10.2Lowest NH: 48.2%	59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2%
	Exeter and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.6%Highest NH: 7.2%	4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.2%Lowest NH: 72.8%	69.1%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH	1979Highest same as NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 36% below NH	25 minHighest 7% below NH
Work from home	13.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 16.8%	19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8%
	Exeter and Laconia 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	#105 of 120 in NH	#22 of 120 in NH
School district	Laconia School District	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District
High school in town	Laconia High School	Exeter High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.0Lowest	12.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.