Compare towns
Orange vs Exeter vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most affordable homes ($303k median).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Sharon has the most kids (22.4% 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 | Orange | Exeter | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 320Lowest |
16,151Highest |
442 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.3±9.1Lowest 5% below NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
49.4±11.2Highest 14% above NH |
| Sharon and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±8.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Sharon and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Sharon and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±3.7 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
1.6%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,750±$39kHighest 20% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$113,125±$19k 14% above NH |
| Orange and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $302,600±$35kLowest 25% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$475,900±$38kHighest 18% above NH |
| Sharon and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,458±$1kLowest about the NH average |
| Exeter and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,132Lowest 23% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$8,274 24% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
28.6%±100 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
32 minHighest 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 20.8%±8.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
11.2%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Orange 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 | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
NH 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.