Compare towns
Temple vs Exeter vs Peterborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Temple has the most homeowners (82.2%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Peterborough has the most renters (43.7% rent).
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 | Temple | Exeter | Peterborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,363Lowest |
16,151Highest |
6,408 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 49.5±7.3 14% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
52.1±1.9Highest 20% above NH |
| Peterborough and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.3%±5.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
30.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Peterborough and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
62.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,107±$15kLowest 5% below NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$98,401±$8k about the NH average |
| Exeter and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $401,000±$27kLowest about the NH average |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$404,500±$31k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,169±$523Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,395±$209 6% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,983Lowest 5% above NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$8,655 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.2%±54.1 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
29.2%±7.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 37% above NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
23 minLowest 16% below NH |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.8%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter and Temple 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 | #59 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | Conval Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
12.0Lowest |
| 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.