Compare towns
Orford vs Exeter vs Amherst
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orford has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Orford | Exeter | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,295Lowest |
16,151Highest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.9±3.3Highest 13% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
45.9±3.5 6% above NH |
| Orford and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Amherst and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Orford and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.1 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,571±$24kLowest 7% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,900±$25kLowest 32% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,263±$686Lowest 15% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,462±$256 about the NH average |
| Exeter and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,836Lowest 12% below NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±10.7 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.5% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 10.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Rivendell Academy | Exeter High School | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
12.1Highest |
10.4 |
| 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.