What stands out worked out from the figures below

Webster has the most affordable homes ($362k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Webster	Exeter
People
Population	17,748Highest	16,151Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average	45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22%	17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Webster and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Exeter and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Exeter and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S.	$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$361,500±$12kLowest 9% above U.S.	$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,228±$81Lowest 13% below U.S.	$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,999Lowest 28% above U.S.	$8,814Highest 183% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Exeter and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 16% above U.S.	25 minLowest 6% below U.S.
Work from home	8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#271 of 282 in MA	#22 of 120 in NH
School district	Webster	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District
High school in town	Bartlett High School	Exeter High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Lowest	12.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.