What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lynn has the most kids (24.1% under 18).

Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).

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	Lynn	Exeter
People
Population	101,709Highest	16,151Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	36.5±1.2Lowest 6% below U.S.	45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S.
Kids under 18	24.1%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22%	17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	13.7%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Exeter and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,043±$3kLowest 7% below U.S.	$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$510,100±$23kHighest 53% above U.S.	$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,722±$60Lowest 22% above U.S.	$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S.
	Exeter and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,384Lowest 73% above U.S.	$8,814Highest 183% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60%±4.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%	59%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lynn and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1946Lowest 34 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 19% above U.S.	25 minLowest 6% below U.S.
Work from home	7.9%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#277 of 282 in MA	#22 of 120 in NH
School district	Lynn	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District
High school in town	Lynn English High	Exeter High School
Students per teacherat that high school	15.0Highest	12.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	59 photos →

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.