What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pelham has the most kids (22% under 18).

Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).

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	Pelham	Exeter
People
Population	14,449Lowest	16,151Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.3%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.5±2.7Lowest 4% below NH	45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH
	Exeter and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2%	17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Pelham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1%	24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40%Lowest NH: 40.6%	59.2%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±1.3Lowest NH: 6%	6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6%
	Exeter and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$135,956±$19kHighest 37% above NH	$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH
	Pelham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$552,600±$27kHighest 37% above NH	$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,425±$88Lowest 4% below NH	$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,634Lowest 30% above NH	$8,814Highest 32% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2%	59%±11.3Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Pelham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2%	4.7%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest NH: 72.8%	69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH	1979Lowest same as NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 10% above NH	25 minLowest 7% below NH
Work from home	22.8%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8%	19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Pelham 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	#48 of 120 in NH	#22 of 120 in NH
School district	Pelham School District	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District
High school in town	Pelham High School	Exeter High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	12.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	59 photos →

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.