Compare towns
New Haven vs Exeter vs Bristol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Haven has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Bristol has the most affordable homes ($337k 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 | New Haven | Exeter | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,792Lowest |
16,151Highest |
3,778 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48±3.9Highest 23% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
47.9±4.8 23% above U.S. |
| New Haven and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| New Haven and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and New Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,321±$17k 14% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$74,620±$8kLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Exeter and New Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $379,300±$19k 14% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$337,300±$46kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,163±$143Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,275±$181 10% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,967Lowest 91% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,978 92% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20.1%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Bristol 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 | #31 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | Mt. Abraham Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
11.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.