Compare towns
New Haven vs Exeter vs Middlebury
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 most homeowners (78.2%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,792Lowest |
16,151Highest |
9,175 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48±3.9Highest 23% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| New Haven and Exeter 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% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest 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% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest 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% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,321±$17k 14% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above 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±$19kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,163±$143 18% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,967Lowest 91% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$6,868 120% 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% |
50.9%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Middlebury 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% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest 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 min 17% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Middlebury 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 | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
12.6Highest |
| 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.