Compare towns
Mapleton vs Lyme vs Exeter vs Castle Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($645k median).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Castle Hill has the most affordable homes ($145k 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 | Mapleton | Lyme | Exeter | Castle Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,710 |
16,151Highest |
281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
57.8±15.8Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Castle Hill and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
44.8%±6.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$54,250±$14kLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Lyme and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$145,300±$18kLowest 56% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$950±$574 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 43% below U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$1,449Lowest 54% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
75%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castle Hill and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme 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 | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Lyme School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Exeter High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
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.