Compare towns
Barnstead vs Dover vs Exeter vs Nottingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnstead has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Nottingham has the most kids (23.9% under 18).
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 | Barnstead | Dover | Exeter | Nottingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,994Lowest |
33,364Highest |
16,151 |
5,357 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1 about the NH average |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
38.8±6.7 10% below NH |
| Exeter and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
23.9%±5.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Nottingham and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±4.8 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
18.4%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.6Lowest NH: 6% |
| 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 | $111,660±$12k 13% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$122,201±$20kHighest 23% above NH |
| Nottingham and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$457,500±$26kHighest 14% above NH |
| Nottingham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$75Lowest 6% below NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$2,068±$1kHighest 39% above NH |
| Nottingham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,003Lowest 10% below NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$7,319 10% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
92.1%±44.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Nottingham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
94.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1992Highest 13 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.2%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Nottingham and Exeter 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 | #111 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #15 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barnstead School District | Dover School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Nottingham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
12.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
NH 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.