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Exeter, NH


exeter New Hampshire Community Profile Community Contact Town of Exeter
Dave Sharples, Town Planner
10 Front Street
Exeter, NH 03833
Telephone (603) 778-0591
Fax (603) 772-4709
E-mail pmcelroy@exeternh.gov
Web Site http://exeternh.gov

Municipal Office Hours Town Manager: Monday to Friday, 8-4:30; Town Clerk: Monday, Wednesday,Thursday, 8-4, Tuesday, 8-7, Friday, 8-12:30; Tax Collector: Monday to Friday, 8:15-4

County Rockingham
Labor Market Area Portsmouth, NH-ME Metropolitan NECTA
Tourism Region Seacoast
Planning Commission Rockingham
Regional Development Regional Economic Development Corp.

Election Districts
US Congress District District 1
Executive Council District District 3
State Senate District District 24
State Representative Rockingham County Districts 11, 33

Incorporated: 1638
Origin: Exeter was one of the four original towns established in New Hampshire, and was first settled in 1638 as Squamscott; the Squamscott people were part of the Algonquin tribe. It was given the name Exeter by the settlement's managers, known as the Exeter Combination. The riverside location made it a shipbuilding center and West Indies trading port. Exeter's charter included the present-day towns of Epping, Newmarket, Newfields, and Brentwood. Exeter was the birthplace of Daniel Chester French, sculptor of the figure of Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial. The Phillips Exeter Academy, endowed by Colonel John Phillips in 1781, and the American Independence Museum are located in Exeter.
Villages and Place Names: Dows Corner, Gooch Corner, Haynes Corner, Jady Hill, Perkins Hill
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 1,722 residents in 1790
Population Trends: Population change for Exeter totaled 7,138 over 50 years, from 8,892 in 1970 to 16,030 in 2020. The 2022 Census estimate for Exeter was 16,178 residents, which ranked 18th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
Population Density and Land Area, 2022 (US Census Bureau): 818.7 persons per square mile of land area. Exeter contains 19.8 square miles of land area and 0.3 square miles of inland water area.

Municipal Services
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2022 $32,022,345
Budget: School Appropriations, 2020-2021 $22,314,061
Zoning Ordinance 1973/22
Master Plan 2018
Capitol Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board
Boards and Commissions
Elected:Selectboard; Library; Swasey; Trust Funds
Appointed:Please visit http://exeternh.gov for a list of boards & committees to which citizens may be appointed.
Public Library Exeter Public

Emergency Services
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Full-time
Emergency Medical Service Municipal
Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Exeter Hospital, Exeter Local 99

Utilities
Electric Supplier Unitil
Natural Gas Supplier Unitil
Water Supplier Town of Exeter/private wells
Sanitation Municipal/private septic
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Yes
Solid Waste Disposal
Curbside Trash PickupMunicipal/Contract
Pay-As-You-Throw ProgramYes
Recycling ProgramYes
Telephone Company Consolidated Communications; Comcast
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station Yes
High Speed Internet Service:
BusinessYes
ResidentialYes

(NH Dept. of Revenue Administration) Property Taxes
2022 Total Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $24.75
2022 Equalization Ratio 65.5
2022 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $15.44
2022 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings75.5%
Commercial Land and Buildings22.6%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other2.0%

(ACS 2017-2021) Housing
Total Housing Units 7,380
Single-Family Units, Detached or Attached 3,349
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:  
Two to Four Units in Structure 1,028
Five or More Units in Structure 2,025
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 978
(US Census Bureau) Population
(1-Year Estimates/Decennial)
Total Population Community County
2022 16,178 319,424
2020 16,049 314,176
2010 14,306 295,223
2000 14,098 278,748
1990 12,654 246,744
1980 11,024 190,345
 
Demographics, American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021
Population by Gender
Male:   7,087 Female:   8,760
Population by Age Group
Under age 5 519
Age 5 to 19 2,882
Age 20 to 34 2,281
Age 35 to 54 4,450
Age 55 to 64 2,126
Age 65 and over 3,589
Median Age 46.5 years
Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over 11,659
High school graduate or higher 96.3%
Bachelor's degree or higher 53.7%

(ACS 2017-2021) Income, Inflation Adjusted $
Per capita income $55,454
Median family income $118,833
Median household income $77,298
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male $76,425
Female $60,081
Individuals below the poverty level 6.3%

(NHES - ELMI) Labor Force
Annual Average 2012 2022
Civilian Labor Force 8,014 8,854
Employed 7,593 8,649
Unemployed 421 205
Unemployment Rate 5.3% 2.3%

(NHES - ELMI) Employment & Wages
Annual Average Covered Employment 2012 2022
Goods Producing Industries
Average Employment 1,466 1,366
Average Weekly Wage $1,491 $1,552
     
Service Providing Industries
Average Employment 7,417 9,088
Average Weekly Wage $959 $1,454
     
Total Private Industry
Average Employment 8,883 10,454
Average Weekly Wage $1,047 $1,467
     
Government (Federal, State, and Local)
Average Employment 949 859
Average Weekly Wage $873 $1,209
     
Total, Private plus Government
Average Employment 9,832 11,312
Average Weekly Wage $1,030 $1,447

If "n" appears, data does not meet disclosure standards.


(NH Dept. of Education) Education and Child Care
Schools students attend: Exeter operates grades K-5; grades 6-12 are part of Exeter Region Cooperative (Brentwood, East Kingston, Kensington, Newfields, Stratham, Exeter) SAU 16
Career Technology Center(s): Seacoast School of Technology
Educational Facilities (includes Charter Schools) Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools 3 2 3 2
Grade Levels P K 1-5 6-8 9-12 9-12
Total Enrollment 887 156 1,984 1,140
2022 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (Bureau of Child Care Licensing): Total Facilities: 9 Total Capacity: 858
Nearest Community/Technical College: Great Bay
Nearest Colleges or Universities: University of NH

Largest Businesses Product/Service Employees Established
Exeter Hospital Health care services 900 1897
Philips Exeter Academy Education 520 1781
Osram Sylvania Electronics 318 1965
Town of Exeter Municipal services 150 1638
Riverwoods at Exeter Elderly housing, health care 500 1994
Sigarms Handguns 200 1989
Cobham Electronics 370 1988
Vapotherm Medical device manufacturer 121 1999

Employer Information Supplied by Municipality


(Distance estimated from city/town hall) Transportation
Road Access US Routes
State Routes 27, 85, 88, 101, 108, 111, 111A
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-95, Exit 2
Distance 6 miles
Railroad Amtrak Downeaster
Public Transportation COAST
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Hampton AirfieldRunway2,100 ft. turf
Lighted? Yes Navigational Aids? No
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Manchester-Boston Regional Distance 33 miles
Number of Passenger Airlines Serving Airport 4
 
Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH 31 miles
Portland, ME 68 miles
Boston, MA 52 miles
New York City, NY 263 miles
Montreal, Quebec 285 miles

(ACS 2017-2021) Commuting to Work
Workers 16 years and over 8,689
Drove alone, car/truck/van 77.4%
Carpooled, car/truck/van 4.6%
Public transportation 0.3%
Walked 3.2%
Other Means 1.1%
Worked at home 13.5%
Mean Travel Time to Work 23.8 minutes
 
Percent of Working Residents: (ACS 2017-2021)
Working in community of residence 44.0%
Commuting to another NH community 43.5%
Commuting out-of-state 12.5%
Recreation, Attractions, and Events
X Municipal Parks
X YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
X Golf Courses
Swimming: Indoor Facility
X Swimming: Outdoor Facility
Tennis Courts: Indoor Facility
X Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
X Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
X Bowling Facilities
X Museums
Cinemas
X Performing Arts Facilities
X Tourist Attractions
X Youth Organizations (i.e., Scouts, 4-H)
X Youth Sports: Baseball
X Youth Sports: Soccer
X Youth Sports: Football
X Youth Sports: Basketball
X Youth Sports: Hockey
X Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
X Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
X Bicycle Trails
X Cross Country Skiing
X Beach or Waterfront Recreational Area
X Overnight or Day Camps
   
Nearest Ski Area(s): Gunstock
   
Other: Walking Trails

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, October 2023. Community Response Received 5/23/22

All information regarding the communities is from sources deemed reliable and is submitted subject to errors, omissions, modifications, and withdrawals without notice. No warranty or representation is made as to the accuracy of the information contained herein. Specific questions regarding individual cities and towns should be directed to the community contact.

 

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