Compare towns
Sharon vs Exeter vs Peterborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sharon has the most homeowners (93.1%).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Peterborough has the most renters (43.7% 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 | Sharon | Exeter | Peterborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 442Lowest |
16,151Highest |
6,408 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 49.4±11.2 14% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
52.1±1.9Highest 20% above NH |
| Peterborough and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±8.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±5.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Sharon and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
30.6%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Sharon and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
62.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±3Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,125±$19kHighest 14% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$98,401±$8kLowest about the NH average |
| Sharon and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $475,900±$38kHighest 18% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$404,500±$31kLowest about the NH average |
| Sharon and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,458±$1k about the NH average |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,395±$209Lowest 6% below NH |
| Exeter and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,274Lowest 24% above NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$8,655 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.6%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
29.2%±7.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest same as NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
23 minLowest 16% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.8%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter and Peterborough 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 | #59 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | Conval Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
12.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
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.