What stands out worked out from the figures below

Newton has the most expensive homes ($1265k median).

Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Newton	Exeter
People
Population	89,044Highest	16,151Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.1±0.9Lowest 8% above U.S.	45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S.
Kids under 18	20.5%±1Highest U.S.: 22%	17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Newton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	81.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	59.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11.1%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%	6.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$190,304±$9kHighest 136% above U.S.	$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,264,900±$43kHighest 280% above U.S.	$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,370±$81Highest 68% above U.S.	$1,856±$223Lowest 31% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$8,814Lowest 183% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.3%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Exeter and Newton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	25 minLowest 6% below U.S.
Work from home	32.2%±2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#25 of 282 in MA	#22 of 120 in NH
School district	Newton	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District
High school in town	Newton North High	Exeter High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.8Lowest	12.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	59 photos →

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.