Compare towns
Wakefield vs Exeter vs Alton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wakefield has the most affordable homes ($323k median).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Alton has the oldest population (median age 53.7).
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 | Wakefield | Exeter | Alton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,405Lowest |
16,151Highest |
5,994 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+12.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 49.4±4.1 14% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
53.7±3.2Highest 24% above NH |
| Alton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
13.4%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Wakefield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
25.1%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Alton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
35.8% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
0.8%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,976±$11kLowest about the NH average |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$113,715±$19kHighest 15% above NH |
| Alton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,800±$43kLowest 20% below NH |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$430,400±$37k 7% above NH |
| Exeter and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$434Lowest 8% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
— |
| Exeter and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,954Lowest 56% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$4,183 37% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±82.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.7%±27.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
33 min 24% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.1%±9.3 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.1%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter and Wakefield 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 | #118 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #72 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Wakefield School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Prospect Mountain JMA School District · Alton School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | Prospect Mountain High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.