Compare towns
Sutton vs Hampton Beach vs Exeter
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%).
Hampton Beach has the most people working from home (26.9%).
Exeter has the youngest population (median age 45.8).
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 | Hampton Beach | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,239Lowest |
2,605 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.1±4.1 11% above NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Sutton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.6 NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $130,313±$31kHighest 32% above NH |
$82,557±$17kLowest 17% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Sutton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,600±$16kLowest 10% below NH |
$508,900±$76kHighest 26% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
| Hampton Beach 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 |
$1,375±$130Lowest 8% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above 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 |
$6,115Lowest 8% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±47.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton Beach 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% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.8%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Hampton Beach 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 | Kearsarge Regional School District | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | — | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.