Compare towns
Barnard vs Dover vs Exeter vs Bridgewater
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnard has the most kids (26.9% under 18).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Barnard | Dover | Exeter | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,211 |
33,364Highest |
16,151 |
980Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±6 9% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
57.1±8Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 26.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.2%±0.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±3.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,581±$19k 21% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $402,600±$71k 21% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$218,300±$55kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,372±$80 about the U.S. average |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$850±$778Lowest 40% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,038 94% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27%±19.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±39.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bridgewater and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #64 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
12.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.