Compare towns
Richmond vs Exeter vs Gardiner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Richmond has the most kids (23% under 18).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($222k 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 | Richmond | Exeter | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,566Lowest |
16,151Highest |
6,088 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±3.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
42±3.6 8% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Richmond and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.6%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,854±$10kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$71,782±$10k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,700±$27k 27% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$221,600±$19kLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,077±$166Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,113±$191 21% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,143 about the U.S. average |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$2,742Lowest 12% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47%±23.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±13.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.5%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Richmond 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 | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Richmond Public Schools | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Richmond High School | Exeter High School | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
12.1Highest |
11.8 |
| 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.