Compare towns
Stow vs Exeter vs Jackman vs Stoneham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stow has the most homeowners (96.2%).
Exeter has the highest household income ($110k).
Jackman has the most affordable homes ($173k median).
Stoneham has the most people working from home (40.7%).
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 | Stow | Exeter | Jackman | Stoneham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 535 |
16,151Highest |
695 |
271Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-9.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 57±10.5 47% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
54.2±5.7 39% above U.S. |
60.6±7.1Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Stoneham and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
5.9%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 37.9%±17.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
41%±17.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stoneham and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.8%±13.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Stoneham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $42,204±$22k 48% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$33,625±$19kLowest 58% below U.S. |
$63,750±$27k 21% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,400±$42k about the U.S. average |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$172,700±$61kLowest 48% below U.S. |
$226,200±$32k 32% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$475±$143Lowest 66% below U.S. |
$1,125±$383 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,304 6% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$1,492 52% below U.S. |
$1,426Lowest 54% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±24.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stoneham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1998Highest 18 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 51 minHighest 95% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±12 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.7%±15.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | — |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.