Compare towns
Sutton vs Exeter vs Durham vs Warner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the most homeowners (95.7%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Warner has the most affordable homes ($353k median).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Sutton | Exeter | Durham | Warner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,239Lowest |
16,151Highest |
15,080 |
2,959 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+3.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±4.1Highest 11% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
43.7±4 about the NH average |
| Sutton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.3%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Sutton and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.4%±3.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
42.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.6Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
5.3%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$94,022±$18kLowest 5% below NH |
| Sutton and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,600±$16k 10% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$353,100±$22kLowest 12% below NH |
| Durham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,656±$614 11% above NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$1,219±$123Lowest 18% below NH |
| Exeter and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,652 15% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,650Lowest 15% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.7%±21.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Exeter 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% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
74.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
32 minHighest 19% above NH |
| Work from home | 14.8%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
16.6%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter and Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Kearsarge Regional School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | Exeter High School | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.1 |
12.3Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 51 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.