Compare towns
Wells vs Exeter vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has the oldest population (median age 50.7).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Wells | Exeter | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,148 |
16,151Highest |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.7±5.2Highest 30% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 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 | $75,417±$11kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,000±$42k 27% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$238,900±$23kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$282 7% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$900±$136Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.5%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.3%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Exeter 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 | — |
| School district | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.