Compare towns
Springfield vs Exeter vs Lowell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Lowell has the most renters (56.8% 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 | Springfield | Exeter | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 154,749Highest |
16,151Lowest |
118,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8 8% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13.2%±0.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$429,200±$11k 29% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,625±$40 15% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,695Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,499 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #276 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Springfield | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Lowell |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | Exeter High School | Lowell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
12.1Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| 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.