What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rochester has the most affordable homes ($279k median).

Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).

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	Rochester	Exeter
People
Population	33,144Highest	16,151Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.2%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	43±1.8Lowest about the NH average	45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH
	Exeter and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.2%±1.7Highest NH: 18.2%	17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Rochester and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 20.1%	24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%	59.2%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1Lowest NH: 6%	6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6%
	Exeter and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$80,836±$3kLowest 18% below NH	$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$279,100±$10kLowest 31% below NH	$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,369±$72Lowest 8% below NH	$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,334Lowest 20% below NH	$8,814Highest 32% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.3%±7Lowest NH: 48.2%	59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2%
	Exeter and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.3%Highest NH: 7.2%	4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	66%Lowest NH: 72.8%	69.1%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH	1979Highest same as NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the NH average	25 minLowest 7% below NH
Work from home	11.8%±2.1Lowest NH: 16.8%	19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#98 of 120 in NH	#22 of 120 in NH
School district	Rochester School District	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District
High school in town	Spaulding High School	Exeter High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.2Highest	12.1Lowest
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.