Compare towns
Lancaster vs Orange 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
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($216k median).
Orange has the most homeowners (97.5%).
Exeter has the most expensive homes ($457k median).
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 | Lancaster | Orange | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,216 |
320Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
— | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±6.9 5% above NH |
41.3±9.1Lowest 5% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±6.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Lancaster and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
20%±5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Lancaster and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
37.2% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.2Lowest NH: 6% |
4.7%±3.7 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,911±$23kLowest 30% below NH |
$118,750±$39kHighest 20% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Orange and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $215,700±$24kLowest 46% below NH |
$302,600±$35k 25% below NH |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,019±$263Lowest 32% below NH |
— | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,226Lowest 37% below NH |
$5,132 23% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.1%±17 NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
9.4% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.1% NH: 72.8% |
97.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 37 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below NH |
28 minHighest 5% above NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.5%±6.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
20.8%±8.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Orange 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 | #107 of 120 in NH | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | White Mountains Regional School District | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 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.