Compare towns
Mapleton vs Stratham vs Exeter vs Union
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 affordable homes ($192k median).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
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 | Stratham | Exeter | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
7,754 |
16,151Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.9%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Union and Stratham 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% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest 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. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$80,724±$9kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$267,600±$42k 20% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,179±$452 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$3,276 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
24.6%±19.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham 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 | — | #43 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| 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.