About Exeter
Exeter was one of the four original towns established in New Hampshire, and was first settled in 1638 as Squamscott. It was given the name Exeter by the settlement's managers, known as the Exeter Combination.
The riverside location of the town made it a shipbuilding center and West Indies trading port, Exeter's original land 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. Both the Phillips Exeter Academy. endowed by Colonel John Phillips in 1781, and the American Independence Museum are located in Exeter. Today, the Town's Municipal Offices are located at 10 Front Street, Exeter.
DEMOGRAPHICS
| Population (2010 Census) | 14,306 |
| Square Miles | 19.8 |
| Population Density | 731.4 persons per square mile |
| Elevation | 125 feet |
| Average Temperature | 46.3 degrees F |
| Per capita income (2014) | $40,310 |
| Median family income (2014) | $96,538 |
| Median household income (2014) | $74,071 |
| Individuals below poverty level | 7.4% |
Exeter follows the "SB2" form of government. This includes an annual town meeting called a deliberative session, where articles are debated and amended, but not approved. The Town Election held on the second Tuesday in March each year is the "second session" of Town Meeting, where ballot voting occurs on all articles in the Town Warrant promulgated by the Selectmen.
The Town's governing body is the Board of Selectmen. The Board appoints a Town Manager under NH RSA (Revised Statutes Annotated) 37 to administer the day to day operations of the Town government.
The school systems in Exeter (elementary) are governed by a local school board and administered by the Superintendent of Schools of SAU16. Exeter Middle School (CMS) and Exeter High School (EHS) are regional schools under the SAU16 and include the neighboring towns of Stratham, East Kingston, Kensington, Newfields, and Brentwood.
| Police Department | Full Time |
| Fire/EMS Department | Full Time (ALS), Emergency Management, Health |
| Public Works | Engineering, Highway, Water, Sewer, Solid Waste |
| Parks/Recreation | Full Time |
| Town Manager | Full Time |
| Town Clerk | Full Time |
| Finance/Tax Collections | Full Time |
| Planning, Building, Code Enforcement | Full Time |
UTILITIES
| Electrical supplier | Unitil |
| Natural gas supplier | Unitil |
| Water | Town of Exeter, private wells, community water systems |
| Sewer | Town of Exeter, private septic |
| Telecom companies | Fairpoint, Comcast |
| Cell phone access | Yes |
| Cable Television companies | Comcast |
| Public Access Television | Comcast Channel 98, Government Channel 22, Education Channel 13 |
| High speed internet | Comcast, Fairpoint DSL |
| Nearest Hospital | Exeter (97 staffed beds) |
| FY16 Town Budget (General Fund) | $17,576,735 |
| 2015 Combined property tax rate (per 1,000) | $25.54 |
| 2015 Town tax rate (per 1,000) | $7.39 |
| 2015 School tax rate (per 1,000) | $14.52 |
| 2015 State education tax rate (per 1,000) | $2.55 |
| 2015 County tax rate (per 1,000) | $1.08 |
| Median single family home value (2015 estimate) | $330,000 |
| 2015 Net taxable valuation | $1,662,036,322 |
| Property taxes billed twice per year, June and November | |
Solid Waste/Recycling Contractor: Northside Carting, Inc.
Recycling: Yes, curbside, weekly
Collection: Yes, curbside, weekly
Pay as you Throw Program: Yes, "blue bags" 2 sizes, $2.00/$1.00 per bag. Available at local retailers.
| Water rates (billed quarterly) | $28 service fee |
| 0 to 29,999 gallons per quarter | $6.86/1,000 gallons (Tier 1) |
| 30,000 to 194,999 gallons per quarter | $7.45/1,000 gallons (Tier 2) |
| 195,000 gallons and greater per quarter | $8.00/1,000 gallons (Tier 3) |
| Sewer rates (billed quarterly, based on water use) | $28 service fee |
| $4.44/1,000 gallons (Tier 1) | |
| $5.23/1,000 gallons (Tier 2) | |
| $5.62/1,000 gallons (Tier 3) | |
| Water rates adjusted 2015, Sewer rates adjusted 2011 | |
| Water - Sewer users pay a $28 per quarter service fee in addition to rates |
Road Statistics: (2010):
Miles maintained in 2010: 66.5
Pieces of major equipment & vehicles maintained: 45 (Highway Department)
Miles of sidewalk: 36
Storm drains and connecting drain pipeline: 1432
Dams: 3
Bridges: 5
Parking Lots: 9
Water & Sewer System (2011):
Length of water line maintained: 43 miles
Length of sewer line maintained: 45 miles
Gallons water treated & pumped: 356,847,831
Gallons sewer treated & pumped: 745,300,000
Maximum gallons of water produced in one day: 1,733,440
Maximum gallons of sewer treated in one day: 4,600,000
Housing
Total Housing Units: 6,759
Single-Family Units, Detached or Attached: 3,310
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:
Two to Four Units in Structure: 918
Five or More Units in Structure: 1,409
Mobile Home and Other Housing Units: 1,122
Demographics Breakdown
Demographics, American Community Survey (ACS) 2010-2014
| Population by Gender (2014) | Male | Female |
| 6,715 | 7,719 | |
| Population by Age Group | 2010 | 2014 |
| Under age 5 | 689 | 639 |
| Age 5 to 19 | 2,362 | 2,898 |
| Age 20 to 34 | 1,872 | 1,965 |
| Age 35 to 54 | 4,620 | 4,520 |
| Age 55 o 65 | 1,865 | 1,691 |
| Age 65 and Over | 2,986 | 2,721 |
| Median Age | 46.6 years | 44.3 years |
Education Attainment, populations 25 year and over
High School graduate or higher 95.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher 47.9%
Labor Force (NHES-ELMI)
| Annual Average | 2010 | 2014 |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian Labor Force | 8,065 | 8,007 |
| Employed | 7,579 | 7,676 |
| Unemployed | 486 | 331 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0% | 4.1% |
Employment & Wages (NHES-ELMI)
| Annual Average Covered Employment | 2010 | 2014 |
| Good Producing Industries | ||
| Average Employment | 1211 | 1878 |
| Average Weekly Wage | 1173 | 1367 |
| Service Providing Industries | ||
| Average Employment | 8617 | 7370 |
| Average Weekly Wage | 912 | 1053 |
| Government (Federal, State, and Local) | ||
| Average Employment | 1043 | 951 |
| Average Weekly Wage | 863 | 897 |
| Total, Private Industry plus Government | ||
| Average Employment | 9660 | 10199 |
| Average Weekly Wage | 906 | 1097 |
Education and Child Care
Schools students attend: Main Street Elementary (P,K,1-2), Lincoln Street Elementary (3-5); grade 6-12 are part of Exeter Region Cooperative (Brentwood, East Kingston, Kensington, Newfields, Stratham, Exeter) District: SAU16
Career Technology Center(s) Seacost School of Technology, Exeter
| Education Facilities | Elementary | Middle/Junior High | High School | Private/Parochial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Schools | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Grade Levels | P,K 1-5 | 6-8 | 9-12 | 9-12 |
| Total Enrollment | 1,021 | 1,389 | 1,974 | 1,060 |
2011 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (DHHS-Bureau of Child Care Licensing):
Total Facilities: 12 Total
Capcity:700
Nearest Community/Technical College: Great Bay
Nearest College or University: University of NH
Transportation (distances estimated from Town Hall)
Road Access:
State Routes 27,85,88,101,108,111,111A
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-95, Exit 2
Distance 6 miles
Railroad Downeaster (Amtrak)
Public Transportation COAST (Bus), Lamprey Health Care (seniors), Meals on Wheels (seniors), TASC (seniors)
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Hampton Airfield Runway 2,100ft. turf
Lighted? Yes Navigation Aids? No
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Manchester-Boston Regional Distance 34 Miles
Number of Passenger Airlines Serving Airport 6
Driving distance to select cities:
Manchester, NH 31 miles
Portland, Maine 67 miles
Boston, Mass. 52 miles
Commuting to Work (ACS 2006-2010)
| Workers Over 16 and Over | |
| Drive alone, Car/Truck/Van | 85.2% |
| Carpooled, Car/Truck/Van | 4.1% |
| Public Transportation | 0.6% |
| Walked | 4.3% |
| Other means | 1.1% |
| Worked at home | 4.7% |
| Mean Travel Time to Work | 25.2 minutes |
| Percent of Working Residents | |
| Working in community of residence | 33.6% |
| Commuting to another NH Community | 47.3% |
| Commuting out-of-state | 19.1% |
Recreation, Attractions, and Events
- Municipal Parks
- Golf Courses
- Outdoor Swimming Facility
- Outdoor Tennis Courts
- Indoor Ice Staking Rink
- Bowling Facility
- Museums
- Performing Arts Facilities
- Tourist Attractions
- Youth Organizations (i.e., Scouts, 4-H)
- Youth Baseball
- Youth Soccer
- Youth Football
- Youth Basketball
- Youth Hockey
- YMCA
- Campgrounds
- Fishing/Hunting
- Boating/Marina
- Bicycle Trails
- Cross Country Skiing
- Overnight or Day Camps
- Walking Trails
Notables:
Henry A. Shute, Exeter's beloved humorist, wrote "The Real Diary of a Real Boy" and spent his entire life in Exeter. And, according to Mr. Shute, "Every man who hasn't a village or country boyhood to look back on has been cheated out of the best part of his life.")
Points of Interest:
The Downeaster train station, located on Lincoln Street; provides train service between Portland, Maine and Boston, Mass., after many years of laying dormant to passenger service. The first train station on Lincoln Street was built in 1860.
The Folsom Tavern, built around 1775 at the corner of Front and Water Streets, was recently moved to the front of the property, across from the entrance to the Parkway, providing additional parking. George Washington "was there" on November 4, 1789.
Founders Park, surrounding the Exeter Public Library at the falls of the Exeter River, was created to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the founding of Exeter.
Across the river from Swasey Parkway the Powder House (built in 1771) may be viewed. The first dramatic use of the Powder House was the result of a ride by Paul Revere (December, 1774) when he warned residents of Portsmouth that a British ship was leaving Boston to remove military stores & soldiers from Fort William & Mary (Portsmouth Harbor). A number of the 72 barrels of gunpowder liberated from the Fort by local residents were stored in the Powder House and may have been used at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
Partial information from "Images of America-Exeter" by Carol Walker-Aten; also from "Exeter, New Hampshire 1888-1988" by Nancy Carnegie Merrill; Powder House Committee minutes.
