Compare towns
South Hampton vs Hampton Beach vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Hampton has the highest household income ($153k).
Hampton Beach has the most people working from home (26.9%).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k 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 | South Hampton | Hampton Beach | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 984Lowest |
2,605 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.1±5.3Lowest 4% above NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| South Hampton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.4% NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6 NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and South Hampton 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 54% above NH |
$82,557±$17kLowest 17% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| 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 64% above NH |
$508,900±$76k 26% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,889±$489Highest 27% above NH |
$1,375±$130Lowest 8% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
| 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 37% above NH |
$6,115Lowest 8% below NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30%±40.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton Beach 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 NH: 7.2% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 17%±3.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Hampton Beach 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 | South Hampton School District | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.