Compare towns
Spencer vs Exeter vs Palmer Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Spencer has the most renters (37% rent).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Palmer Town has the most affordable homes ($271k 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 | Spencer | Exeter | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,008Lowest |
16,151Highest |
12,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.8Highest 26% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6 23% above U.S. |
| Spencer and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Spencer and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,533±$11k about the U.S. average |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$78,480±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $382,000±$22k 15% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$271,400±$21kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,078±$161 24% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,075±$103Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,387Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,540 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15%±7.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Spencer 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 | #261 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Spencer-E Brookfield | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | David Prouty High | Exeter High School | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
12.1Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.