Exeter, Rhode Island Facts for Kids

Exeter is a small town located in Washington County, Rhode Island, in the United States. It stretches from the Connecticut border in the west to North Kingstown in the east.

Exeter is surrounded by other towns. To the north, you'll find West Greenwich and East Greenwich. To the south, it borders Hopkinton, Richmond, and South Kingstown. In 2020, about 6,460 people lived in Exeter.

Exeter's Past: A Look at Its History
Where is Exeter? Geography and Land Area
Who Lives in Exeter? Population Changes Over Time
Fun Places and Historic Sites in Exeter
Notable People from Exeter
Images for kids
See also

Exeter's Past: A Look at Its History

Native American people lived in the area that is now Exeter long before European settlers arrived. A Native American leader named Wawaloam, who was part of the Narragansett and Nipmuc tribes, lived in the town during the 1660s.

The town of Exeter was officially created in 1742. It was formed from the western part of North Kingstown. The name "Exeter" comes from a city in England called Exeter, which is in the county of Devon. Many other places around the world also share this name.

Exeter is known in folklore for a unique historical event. In 1892, the Mercy Brown Vampire Incident took place here. This event is one of the most well-known examples of people believing in vampires in New England history.

Where is Exeter? Geography and Land Area

Exeter covers a total area of about 58.4 square miles (151.2 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 57.7 square miles (149.5 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.7 square miles (1.7 square kilometers), is water.

Who Lives in Exeter? Population Changes Over Time

The population of Exeter has changed a lot over the years. Here's a quick look at how many people have lived in the town during different census years:

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	2,495	—
1800	2,476	−0.8%
1810	2,256	−8.9%
1820	2,581	14.4%
1830	2,883	11.7%
1840	1,776	−38.4%
1850	1,634	−8.0%
1860	1,741	6.5%
1870	1,462	−16.0%
1880	1,310	−10.4%
1890	964	−26.4%
1900	841	−12.8%
1910	778	−7.5%
1920	1,033	32.8%
1930	1,314	27.2%
1940	1,790	36.2%
1950	1,870	4.5%
1960	2,298	22.9%
1970	3,245	41.2%
1980	4,453	37.2%
1990	5,461	22.6%
2000	6,045	10.7%
2010	6,425	6.3%
2020	6,460	0.5%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2000, there were 6,045 people living in Exeter. The town had 2,085 households, and 1,592 of these were families. About 38% of households had children under 18 living with them. The average age of people in Exeter was 38 years old.

Fun Places and Historic Sites in Exeter

Exeter has several interesting places to visit and important historical sites.

Yawgoo Valley is a popular spot, as it's the only ski resort in all of Rhode Island. You can go skiing or snowboarding there!
Austin Farm Road Agricultural Area is a historic farming area.
Baptist Church in Exeter is a notable old church building.
Fisherville Historic and Archeological District and Hallville Historic and Archeological District are areas important for their history and old findings.
Lawton's Mill is another historic mill site.
Simon Lillibridge Farm is a historic farm.
Parris Brook Historic and Archeological District is an area with historical and archaeological importance.
Queen's Fort is an old Native American fort site.
Sodom Mill Historic and Archeological District is another historic mill area.
Tomaquag Museum is a special place because it is the only museum in Rhode Island that focuses entirely on Native American history and culture.

Notable People from Exeter

Some interesting people have come from Exeter:

George Wait Babcock was a privateer, which means he was a private ship owner authorized by a government to attack enemy ships during wartime.
Job Kenyon was a politician.