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Moving to
Exeter.
Exeter is an unincorporated community in Rockingham County, NH. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
What it's like to live in Exeter
Exeter is an unincorporated community in New Hampshire with county unemployment below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Exeter deals with rent well above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, cold winters, and heavy snowfall.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Low crime rates
- Clean air
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Heavy snowfall — 63" per year
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Exeter compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Exeter
Based on Exeter's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,422
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $68,440 a year
- 50% of Exeter renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$71,500
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $35,750
- Homes cost 4.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 21% above US
$1,711/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,711 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $357,500. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $357,500 · 50% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.4% county unemployment
Unemployment in Rockingham County is 3.4%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Rockingham County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 81% below US
62 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 512/100k · Exeter Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 19% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 78°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 19°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 59% above US
57% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Lowell National Historical Park (30 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Exeter's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin. A year of median rent ($1,711/mo) equals 24% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (19% of workers here already work from home).
Other places near Exeter
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