Compare towns
Reading vs Ripton vs Exeter
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%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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.
| Measure | Reading | Ripton | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 699 |
508Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Reading and Ripton 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton 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% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,200±$72kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Ripton 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. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754 84% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.