[ARTICLE] 6
[LEGEND]
[RESTATED]
[CIK] 0000751173
[NAME] EXETER FUND, INC.
[SERIES]
[NAME] OHIO EXEMPT SERIES
[NUMBER] 17
[MULTIPLIER] 1
[CURRENCY] 1
[FISCAL-YEAR-END] DEC-31-2000
[PERIOD-START] JAN-01-2000
[PERIOD-END] DEC-31-2000
[PERIOD-TYPE] 6-MOS
[EXCHANGE-RATE] 1
[INVESTMENTS-AT-COST] 9397733
[INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE] 9356336
[RECEIVABLES] 6640698
[ASSETS-OTHER] 0
[OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS] 0
[TOTAL-ASSETS] 10021034
[PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES] 0
[SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT] 0
[OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES] 508677
[TOTAL-LIABILITIES] 508677
[SENIOR-EQUITY] 0
[PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON] 9593417
[SHARES-COMMON-STOCK] 968471
[SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR] 796365
[ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT] 34784
[OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII] 0
[ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS] (74447)
[OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS] 0
[ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC] (41397)
[NET-ASSETS] 9512357
[DIVIDEND-INCOME] 0
[INTEREST-INCOME] 202757
[OTHER-INCOME] 0
[EXPENSES-NET] 31084
[NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME] 171673
[REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT] 9092
[APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT] 163592
[NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS] 344357
[EQUALIZATION] 0
[DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME] 152127
[DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS] 0
[DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER] 0
[NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD] 284156
[NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED] 100655
[SHARES-REINVESTED] 15605
[NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS] 2153681
[ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR] 15238
[ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR] (83539)
[OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR] 0
[OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR] 0
[GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES] 18284
[INTEREST-EXPENSE] 0
[GROSS-EXPENSE] 44823
[AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS] 7557819
[PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN] 9.56
[PER-SHARE-NII] 0.21
[PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC] 0.24
[PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND] 0.19
[PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS] 0
[RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL] 0
[PER-SHARE-NAV-END] 9.82
[EXPENSE-RATIO] 0.85
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING] 0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE] 0
