Compare towns
Canaan vs Dover vs Enfield vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canaan has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Enfield has the oldest population (median age 58.3).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Canaan | Dover | Enfield | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,811Lowest |
33,364Highest |
4,475 |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
-2.6% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.7 about the NH average |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
58.3±5.4Highest 35% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±4.6 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
7.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
30.7%±7.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Enfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
43% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
2.7%±3.4Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Canaan and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,583±$6kLowest 18% below NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$95,474±$19k 4% below NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
| Exeter and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$26kLowest 37% below NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$390,800±$71k about the NH average |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
| Exeter and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,140±$90Lowest 24% below NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,181±$563 21% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
| Exeter and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,985Lowest 10% below NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$6,203 7% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±25.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
17.8%±16.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Canaan and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.6% NH: 7.2% |
8.3% NH: 7.2% |
16.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
24 min 11% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 14.9%±6 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
11%±5.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter and Dover 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 | #83 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #5 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Dover School District | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Mascoma Valley Regional High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
12.7Highest |
— | 12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.