Compare towns
Swanton vs Exeter vs Richford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Swanton has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Richford has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
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 | Swanton | Exeter | Richford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,670 |
16,151Highest |
2,467Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.8±4.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
39±3.6 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 24.3%±8.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Swanton and Richford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.4%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Richford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Richford and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,607±$27k 17% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$56,853±$13kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $229,000±$15k 31% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$176,600±$16kLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,238±$103 12% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,160±$66Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,370 40% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,300Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.1%±21.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±15.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Richford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.4%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.8%±3.9 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 | Enosburgh-Richford Unified Union School District #88 |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | Richford Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
9.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.