Compare towns
Whiting vs Exeter vs Salisbury vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whiting has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Exeter has the most expensive homes ($457k median).
Salisbury has the most homeowners (88.7%).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
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 | Whiting | Exeter | Salisbury | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 532 |
16,151Highest |
1,200 |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
47.3±6.5 22% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Whiting and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whiting and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$38k 13% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21k 23% above U.S. |
$68,438±$30kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,400±$36k 16% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$306,900±$51k 8% below U.S. |
$240,400±$32kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$519 15% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,443±$984 about the U.S. average |
$1,125±$537Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,227Lowest 36% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,842 55% above U.S. |
$5,438 74% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±39 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Athens 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 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| 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.