What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k 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	Reading	Exeter
People
Population	25,612Highest	16,151Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S.	45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S.
	Exeter and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22%	17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	20.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Exeter and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	59.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S.	$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S.	$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S.	$1,856±$223Lowest 31% above U.S.
	Reading and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,320Highest 199% above U.S.	$8,814Lowest 183% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	25 minLowest 6% below U.S.
Work from home	30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#50 of 282 in MA	#22 of 120 in NH
School district	Reading	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District
High school in town	Reading Memorial High	Exeter High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1	12.1
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.