Compare towns
Townsend vs Newington vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k median).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
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 | Townsend | Newington | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100 |
939Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
48.7±10.1Highest 25% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Newington and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28%±11Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Newington and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$145,833±$46kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Newington and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$861,600±$46kHighest 159% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$2,292±$795Highest 62% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| Newington and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$6,081 95% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.9%±44Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Newington and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #136 of 282 in MA | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Middlesex | Newington School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.