Compare towns
Lee vs Durham vs Exeter vs Deerfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Exeter has the oldest population (median age 45.8).
Deerfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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.
| Measure | Lee | Durham | Exeter | Deerfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,576Lowest |
15,080 |
16,151Highest |
4,932 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+13.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
42.8±4.2 about the NH average |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
20.9%±4.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Lee and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.5%±3.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
47.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
3.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $131,579±$54kHighest 33% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$131,563±$10k 33% above NH |
| Lee and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$421,000±$33kLowest 5% above NH |
| Durham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,593±$318 7% above NH |
| Exeter and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,661 45% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$7,369Lowest 11% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
17.4%±17.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
91.3% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the NH average |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
34 minHighest 28% above NH |
| Work from home | 27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.4%±6.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Deerfield 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 | #3 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #61 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Deerfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Highest |
12.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
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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.