For most people who can afford it, yes. Exeter grades A− overall, 28th of 125 graded towns in New Hampshire. It has 62 miles of trail and 31% conserved land. Residents are healthier than 95% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates and crime is low: it reports less per resident than 83% of U.S. towns. The trade-off is money: homes are expensive, about $610K for a typical one and 5.3 times the Boston metro’s $116K median household income. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 96% of U.S. towns, with 11 places on the National Register. Exeter’s trail density is 3.1 miles per square mile, where New Hampshire’s towns sit at 1.2 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Its National Register listings include Ladd-Gilman House and First Church.

StrongestA⁺Outdoors A⁺History AHealthWeakestDCost of living

What makes Exeter stand out

Where Exeter beats most towns.

Ladd-Gilman House

HistoryA⁺

Settled in 1638

A history going back 388 years.

Conserved land & trails

OutdoorsA⁺

#1 most trails in NH

31.3% of the town is conserved land.

Ladd-Gilman House · National Register of Historic Places

Exeter’s story

388 years in pictures

Ladd-Gilman House is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1638, comes before those of 94% of the New Hampshire towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 1,722 in 1790, 16,049 in 2020. The archive holds 59 old photos and papers going back to 1738 and 5 maps from 1932 on.

11 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1638Exeter is settled

Explore the history →

The other Exeter

Exeter takes its name from Exeter in Devon, England, 3,120 miles across the Atlantic.

UKUK edition

Devon, EnglandExeterA city of 126,181

Photo: David Smith · CC BY-SA 2.0

Exeter, settled in 1638, takes its name from Exeter, a city in Devon, England.

Exeter, NH3,120 miles · Exeter, Devon

People126,18116,213 here

Typical home£295,000$610,000 here

Listed buildings76222 of them Grade I

TownGradeCagainst UK towns#24 of 47 in Devon · here A− against U.S. towns

Explore Exeter, Devon

8 more U.S. towns are named after Exeter:Exeter Township, PABerks County · 26,069 Exeter, CA10,122 Exeter, RI6,540 Exeter, PA5,587 Exeter, WI2,209+3 more

Named after: each U.S. town’s Wikipedia article. Grades compare each town with towns in its own country, so they aren’t a head-to-head.

How Exeter grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Hampshire), ordered by how far Exeter is from typical.

How grading works

HealthExeter Hospital 1.4 miles awayAOpen →Cost of livingDOpen →SafetyA⁻Open →Jobs & income$110K median household incomeA⁻Open →SchoolsA⁻Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.4 of 20; 6.5% of households have no car; 2.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB⁺Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 47% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

OutdoorsA⁺Open →History62 notable people born hereA⁺Open →Civic life4.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB⁺Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

ClimateSnowy winters, 82° summer afternoons, 57″ of snow–Open →Housing market37 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 45.8; 59% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

America's Stonehenge and 56 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Exeter. Close and well known come first.

All 193 attractions →

16 mi Ancient siteAmerica's Stonehenge

20 mi Theme parkCanobie Lake Park

32 mi MuseumPeabody Essex Museum

12 mi MuseumStrawbery Banke

22 mi LighthouseCape Neddick Light 33 mi Theme parkPleasure Island

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

America's Stonehenge: User:Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Canobie Lake Park: Alex1961, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Peabody Essex Museum: Fletcher6, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Strawbery Banke: Ken Gallager (Ken Gallager from en.wikipedia), Public domain · Cape Neddick Light: Stefan Hillebrand, CC BY-SA 3.0

Getting set up

Moving to Exeter: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Exeter, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerUnitil21.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterExeter Water Department1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpExeter Transfer StationTue 9 am–1 pm; Fri–Sat 9 am–2:30 pmOpenStreetMap

SchoolsExeter Region Cooperative School District Exeter School District2 districts serve Exeter; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES

Register to voteIn personNew Hampshire has no online registration; you can register in person up to and including Election Day or by mail only in special circumstances (received 13 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereTown Clerk of ExeterThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2026

ZIP code0383303833 100%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 19, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Exeter.

Exeter draws workers from Dover and beyond and keeps more of its land conserved than most of New Hampshire, but it reports more crime than Brentwood and its other graded neighbors.

OutdoorsA⁺

Conserved land covers nearly a third of Exeter

Its 3,976 conserved acres are a larger share of the town than in 91% of New Hampshire towns. Its A+ for the outdoors ranks #3 of 126 in New Hampshire.

62 miles of trail in 18 parks and preserves. Piscassic River Wildlife Management Area, at 576 acres with 1.7 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. More trails than any other town in New Hampshire.

#1for trails in NH

31.3%

conserved · 3,976 of 12,697 acres

62 mi

of trails · 3.1 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Henderson-Swasey Town Forest	7.9 mi	249
2. Oaklands Town Forest	5.9 mi	228
3. Piscassic River Wildlife Management Area	1.7 mi	576

Full pageExeter’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map62 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk7.9 miles of trail · Henderson-Swasey Town Forest Conserved land31.3% conserved · 3,976 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Exeter?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

SchoolsA⁻

Exeter’s schools rank ahead of 75% of New Hampshire districts

Two of its 8 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Exeter High School, with 1,348 students.

75%of NH districts it outscoresA⁻School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Main Street SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–2	Grades PK–2	406	–
Exeter High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	1,348	A

Full pageExeter’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsExeter Region Cooperative School District Vs. the neighborsAhead of 3 of its 6 graded neighbors Every school8 schools · Exeter High School Questions“Are Exeter’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within NH on state tests and graduation

HealthA

Exeter earns an A for health

27% of Exeter adults feel lonely, below both New Hampshire’s towns (30%) and U.S. towns (33%). 14% of Exeter adults report frequent mental distress. Exeter beats the New Hampshire average on 14 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.

95%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade

	Exeter	New Hampshire towns	U.S. towns
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)	27%	30%	33%
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)	14%	16%	17%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)	8.6%	11%	14%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)	11%	12%	14%

32 measures vs. New Hampshire

14 better17 too close to call1 worse

What stands out	Exeter	NH
Fewer uninsured adults	4.9%	6.8%
Fewer adults facing food insecurity	7.1%	9.5%
More adults who have had cancer	11%	9.8%

Exeter Hospital

1.4 mi away · emergency room

None

primary care, dental or mental-health shortage

90th

percentile among NH towns

Full pageExeter’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsFewer smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby1.4 miles to an ER · Exeter Hospital How adults are doingFewer adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than NH on 14 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Work & commuteJobs & income grade A⁻

About one in five working residents works right in Exeter

11,483 jobs are based in Exeter, 1.5 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.

About one in 5 of Exeter’s working residents works in town. Jobs based in Exeter grew to 11,483 in 2023, 1,677 more than in 2013. 20% of workers work from home in Exeter.

21%work in town

	Exeter	New Hampshire towns	U.S. towns
Working residents who work in town	21%	9.8%	8%
Work from home	20%	16%	11%
Median household income	$110,000	$103,000	$80,000
Below the poverty line	4.7%	6.8%	9.6%

Where working residents work

In Exeter21%

Portsmouth11%

Manchester4%

Stratham3%

Hampton3%

12 mi

median commute distance

11,483

jobs based in Exeter

A job hub

jobs vs. working residents

B+

Walkability grade: more walkable than 66% of U.S. towns

Full pageExeter’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here11,483 jobs based here · A job hub Where people work21% work in Exeter Commute times25 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 12 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

SafetyA⁻

Exeter earns an A− for safety

Exeter is safe by national standards, yet each of the 5 graded towns on its borders reports less crime per resident, from Brentwood (A) to Newfields (A+).

New Hampshire has less reported crime than most states, so among its own towns Exeter sits closer to the middle.

83%of U.S. towns report more crimeA⁻Safety Grade

	Exeter	New Hampshire towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	0.6 per 1,000 residents	0.7	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	5.1 per 1,000 residents	4.4	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Exeter0.6

New Hampshire1.2

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Exeter5.1

New Hampshire8.3

U.S.15.5

83rd

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

51st

percentile among NH towns

violent crimes reported in 2025

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageExeter’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type0.6 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsSteady since 2023 Vs. the neighborsBehind its 5 graded neighbors Questions“Is Exeter, NH safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Climate

Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Exeter

The Epping weather station, 7 miles away, records that 57 inches of snow fall in a normal winter: more than most of the country, but less than 87% of New Hampshire places with climate records. July afternoons average 82.4°: cooler than most of the country, but hotter than 83% of New Hampshire places with climate records; January nights average 15.5°.

Exeter has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Exeter’s January low is 16°F.

57″snow a winter

	Exeter	New Hampshire towns	U.S. towns
January low	16°F	13°F	22°F
July high	82°F	81°F	85°F

Typical low → high °F

Winter18–36°

Spring35–57°

Summer58–80°

Fall41–61°

Oct 4

typical first frost

May 7

typical last frost

+1.7°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageExeter’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 82°, January lows 16°Rain & snow57″ of snow a winter · 47 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.7° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

HousingCost of living grade D

Exeter earns a D for cost of living

The median rent in Exeter is $1,856 a month. The typical Exeter home is worth about $610,000, up 3.6% in a year, 19% above the New Hampshire typical home.

$610KZillow home value

	Exeter	New Hampshire towns	U.S. towns
Median rent	$1,856 a month	$1,382 a month	$1,185 a month
Households that own their home	69%	82%	73%

Typical home value

Exeter$610K

New Hampshire$511K

Market temperature

days on market

98.7%

sale-to-list price

+3.6%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pageExeter’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 3.6% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 5.5 years of income Rents$1,856 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 3 of its 6 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B⁻

Exeter faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

72 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 17 properties have flooded more than once.

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 53% of U.S. communities. Since 1981, 72 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Exeter.

47risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingEarthquakesHurricanes

paid flood claims since 1981

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageExeter’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesModerate risk Flood claims72 paid flood claims · Since 1981 Past disasters14 federal disasters · Paid out in Exeter Get ready1.2 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Exeter

20pages on Exeter

The big questions

SchoolsA⁻Beat 75% of NH districts · 8 schools SafetyA⁻0.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than NH on 14 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingD$610K typical home · up 3.6% in a year Work & commuteA⁻$110K median household income · 11,483 jobs here Natural hazardsB⁻FEMA risk higher than 47% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA⁺62 mi of trails · 31% conserved land PlacesAttractions193 nearby · American Independence Museum under 1 mi LibraryB⁺Exeter Public Library CollegesGreat Bay Community College is 10 mi away

The story

HistoryA⁺Settled 1638 · 11 on the National Register Famous people62 born in Exeter Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 113 residents Climate82° summer highs · 57″ of snow

Day to day

News7 recent stories about Exeter WeatherHandbookZIP code 03833 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

3 within 15 miles of the center of Exeter

Great Bay Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Portsmouth10 mi$7,200 in-state tuition University of New HampshireUniversity or college · Public · Durham10.3 mi$19,202 in-state tuition Northern Essex Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Haverhill, MA14 mi$6,732 in-state tuition

About 6 of every 100 Exeter residents are enrolled in college, about the same as New Hampshire.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

Get outside

62 miles of trails in Exeter

31.3% of the town is conserved land, across 18 parks and preserves.

Map of trails and conserved land in Exeter

ConservedTrails

Henderson-Swasey Town Forest7.9 mi of trails · 249 acres

Directions

Oaklands Town Forest5.9 mi of trails · 228 acres

Directions

Piscassic River Wildlife Management Area1.7 mi of trails · 576 acres

Directions

Landmarks

11 places in Exeter on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Ladd-Gilman HouseNational Historic Landmark

Dudley House

First Church

Front Street Historic District

Famous people from Exeter

62 notable people were born in Exeter.

See all 62 →

Dan BrownAmerican novelist · born 1964

John IrvingAmerican novelist and screenwriter · born 1942

Lewis CassAmerican politician · 1782–1866

Elizabeth Jane GardnerUS painter · 1837–1922

Nicholas GilmanAmerican politician · 1755–1814

Matt KingAmerican swimmer · born 2002

About Exeter

Town in New Hampshire, United States

Official town website ↗

Exeter is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. Its population was 16,049 at the 2020 census, up from 14,306 at the 2010 census. Exeter was the county seat until 1997, when county offices were moved to neighboring Brentwood. Home to Phillips Exeter Academy, a private university-preparatory boarding school, Exeter is situated where the Exeter River becomes the tidal Squamscott River. The urban center of town, where 10,109 people resided at the 2020 census, is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as the Exeter census-designated place.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1638
Area: 20 sq mi
Elevation: 33 ft
ZIP code: 03833
Area code: 603

Exeter’s neighbors

6 towns share a border with Exeter.

Explore the map →

StrathamBrentwoodNewfieldsKingstonEast KingstonKensingtonExeter

Stratham

NE · 3% of Exeter workers commute here

Brentwood

Newfields

Kingston

East Kingston

Kensington

How the neighbors grade

Town	NH rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Exeter	#28	A⁻	D	A⁻	A⁻	A
Stratham	#11	A	D	A⁺	A⁻	A⁺
Brentwood	#19	A	D	A	A⁻	A
Newfields	—	—	C⁺	A⁺	B⁺	A⁺
Kingston	#57	B⁺	C⁻	A	C	A⁻
East Kingston	—	—	D⁻	A⁺	B⁺	A
Kensington	—	—	C	—	A⁻	A

Newfields, East Kingston and Kensington have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Kensington reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Exeter with a neighbor →

Questions about Exeter

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Exeter, NH a good place to live?

For most people who can afford it, yes. Exeter grades A− overall, better than 85% of U.S. towns and #28 of 125 in New Hampshire. It grades A for health, A− for safety and A− for schools, and has the most trail per square mile in the state. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Exeter, NH safe?

Yes, by national standards. New Hampshire has less crime than most states, so among its own towns Exeter sits nearer the middle.

Is Exeter, NH expensive?

Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.

What is Exeter, NH known for?

62 notable people were born here, including Dan Brown and John Irving. Its 62 miles of trails, 3.1 per square mile, are the densest network of any New Hampshire town.

Post to Exeter

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ExeterNH

Is Exeter a good place to live?

What makes Exeter stand out

388 years in pictures

The other Exeter

How Exeter grades

America's Stonehenge and 56 more within 40 miles

Moving to Exeter: who provides what

The data

Conserved land covers nearly a third of Exeter

Exeter’s schools rank ahead of 75% of New Hampshire districts

Exeter earns an A for health

About one in five working residents works right in Exeter

Where working residents work

Exeter earns an A− for safety

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Exeter

Typical low → high °F

Exeter earns a D for cost of living

Typical home value

Exeter faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

Everything we know about Exeter

Colleges nearby

62 miles of trails in Exeter

Landmarks

Famous people from Exeter

About Exeter

Exeter’s neighbors

Questions about Exeter