Compare towns
Stoddard vs Exeter vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stoddard has the most affordable homes ($330k median).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
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 | Stoddard | Exeter | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,072Lowest |
16,151Highest |
1,609 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.5% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 53±4Highest 22% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
51.5±4.5 19% above NH |
| Stoddard and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.1%±9.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Salisbury and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.9%±4Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Salisbury and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.7 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
2%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,904±$11kLowest 4% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$111,591±$17kHighest 13% above NH |
| Salisbury and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $330,300±$20kLowest 18% below NH |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$363,400±$47k 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$751Lowest 40% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,917±$632Highest 29% above NH |
| Salisbury and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,316Lowest 35% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$5,859 12% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±100 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.3% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
96.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 25% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
32 min 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
23.3%±10.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Salisbury 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 | Stoddard School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.