Compare towns
Walden vs Exeter vs Cabot vs Fletcher
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walden has the most affordable homes ($239k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Cabot has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Fletcher has the most homeowners (96.1%).
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 | Walden | Exeter | Cabot | Fletcher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,037Lowest |
16,151Highest |
1,579 |
1,196 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.2Highest 25% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
40.3±6.6Lowest 4% above U.S. |
48.7±7.3 25% above U.S. |
| Walden and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
27.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Cabot and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.7%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$77,031±$16kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$105,833±$9k 31% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,900±$23kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$268,500±$77k 19% below U.S. |
$302,100±$37k 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$136Lowest 36% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,243±$354 12% below U.S. |
$1,679±$427 19% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,639 49% above U.S. |
$4,965 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±86.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±26.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±78.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
30 min 13% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | Fletcher School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.