Compare towns
Madbury vs Exeter vs Plainfield vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Madbury | Exeter | Plainfield | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,203Lowest |
16,151Highest |
2,522 |
4,576 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
38.9±6.5 10% below NH |
42.9±1.9 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 | 29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.4%±5.8 NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Madbury and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.8%±4.5 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 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+ | 52.6% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
46.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.3 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$122,656±$13k 24% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
| Madbury and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$442,400±$47kLowest 10% above NH |
$480,600±$61kHighest 19% above NH |
| Lee and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,574±$759Lowest 6% above NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,674±$181 12% above NH |
— |
| Exeter and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$7,904Lowest 19% above NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±23.1 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
5.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.3% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
28 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
18.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #19 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Plainfield School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | 10 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.