Compare towns
South Hampton vs Exeter vs Amesbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Hampton has the highest household income ($153k).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Amesbury has the youngest population (median age 43.7).
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 | South Hampton | Exeter | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 984Lowest |
16,151 |
17,403Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.1±5.3 16% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Exeter and South Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| South Hampton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $152,500±$44kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| South Hampton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,100±$45kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,889±$489Highest 34% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,683±$115Lowest 19% above U.S. |
| South Hampton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,109Highest 192% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$7,360Lowest 136% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 7% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Amesbury 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 | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | South Hampton School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Amesbury |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
10.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.