Compare towns
Reading vs Exeter vs Plymouth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Plymouth has the most affordable homes ($338k median).
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 | Reading | Exeter | Plymouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699 |
16,151Highest |
533Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
52.2±9.6Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Plymouth and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
32.6%±10.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plymouth and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$87,614±$8k 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$337,900±$21kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Exeter and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,299±$171 8% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754 84% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,585Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±53Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading 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 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
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.